Chief Operating Officer: Xiente

Xiente, formerly known as Norris Square Community Alliance, is a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, PA in operation for over 40 years. It was founded in 1982 by a group of community women who decided to take control of their neighborhood and provide a safe and healthy environment for their children. Our mission is to transform communities by empowering individuals to achieve social mobility. Xiente addresses poverty through a holistic approach that includes personalized economic mobility plans for families. Bringing a comprehensive approach to tackling poverty and promoting economic mobility, Xiente offers programs that include early childhood education, youth development programs, financial literacy, workforce development, and housing services.

Two of Xiente’s key programs include:

• Busesito (The Little Bus): Philadelphia’s first mobile bilingual preschool on wheels designed to bring early childhood education to children throughout different neighborhoods in the city who do not have access to preschool.
• Prosperity Lab: A comprehensive program that offers a range of economic and social services to help families overcome the barriers that prevent them from achieving financial stability and prosperity and guide them toward middle-class status.

With a diverse workforce of over 120 employees, Xiente’s team reflects the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and community representation. Recently, Xiente was certified as a Great Place to Work, highlighting the organization’s positive and supportive work environment for employees.

As Xiente moves into its next chapter, the organization is expanding its leadership team with a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a Chief Operating Officer (COO). Xiente is seeking a proactive, results-oriented leader to serve as the COO, focusing on enhancing the organization’s strategy and positioning Xiente to meet current and future needs. The COO will work closely with the CFO and CEO to drive Xiente’s strategic direction and operational excellence.

This leader will focus on the following areas:

• Organizational Scaling and Efficiency: The COO is expected to leverage extensive experience in scaling and optimizing organizations. This includes collaborating with staff, leadership, and external partners to build on Xiente’s achievements, foster continued growth, and implement robust project management systems across diverse teams.
• Strategic Planning: The COO will identify opportunities to enhance Xiente’s community impact and will play a critical role in shaping the organization’s strategic direction. These responsibilities include developing and executing new systems and leveraging best practices to improve operations.
• Program Oversight: The COO’s direct reports include the team members managing Xiente’s programs in Education, Family Support, Workforce Development, and Youth Services, along with two Area Directors. The COO will guide and lead program staff to foster a collaborative, results-driven work environment. The team will consistently assess program effectiveness and design new initiatives to meet emerging community needs.
• Compliance: This leader will oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of policies and procedures to ensure Xiente remains compliant with all regulatory requirements and funders’ contractual obligations. This includes partnering with the CFO to ensure accurate financial reporting, adherence to funding guidelines, and maintaining ethical standards in line with governance and legal frameworks.
• Community Connection: In addition, the COO should have an ability to develop strong relationships in North Philadelphia, with expertise within similar communities. This connection is crucial for maintaining the core of Xiente’s mission and culture while enhancing productivity and impact.
• Leadership and Team Development: The COO will lead with creativity, openness, and flexibility, ensuring team members have the necessary resources and support. They will cultivate a diverse, cohesive team environment that promotes innovation, inclusivity, and accountability. In addition, the COO will lead with compassion, build trust, foster innovation, motivate and support staff, and ensure strong internal communication and collaboration.
• Continuous Improvement: The COO will lead efforts to refine strategic priorities, enhance Xiente’s impact, and strengthen its infrastructure. They will drive a culture of continuous improvement, evidence-building, and performance management. To that end, the COO will support teams in achieving program goals, tracking outcomes, and integrating data to enhance impact.

Candidate Profile

While no candidate is expected to possess every quality outlined, a successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• An Expert in Operations: The COO will be a process-oriented leader with a proven track record in enhancing organizational efficiency and streamlining systems. They will possess strong business acumen and a deep understanding of organizational development, personnel management, budget optimization, resource development, and strategic planning. Additionally, this leader will have experience collaborating with finance teams to enhance programmatic, operational, and financial performance. With a background in implementing strategic plans and systems, the COO will be adept at scaling an organization’s impact. In addition, they will bring an ability to utilize technology, data, and analytics to measure outcomes and drive the organization toward its evolving strategic goals.
• A Trusted Relationship Builder: The COO will excel at building trust and credibility quickly and naturally. They will foster and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies and key stakeholders, leveraging a strong understanding of federal government operations, including both legislative and executive branches. This leader will have a natural ability to develop inclusive and robust relationships and networks. The COO will also cultivate a collaborative atmosphere across the organization, demonstrating exceptional skills in managing and leading diverse teams. As a talent magnet, they will have a proven track record of building and sustaining high-performing teams. Above all, the COO must be adept at maintaining strong relationships at all levels—internally with the Board of Directors and staff, and externally with community members, funders, and various government entities.
• A Strategic and Visionary Leader: The COO will be a strategic and tactical leader with a proven track record of developing and articulating a vision for Xiente’s operational and programmatic future while effectively executing its current strategic priorities. Skilled in building relationships, this leader will also thrive in the hands-on aspects of the role across diverse settings, from helping to secure funding to delivering impactful programs. The COO will cultivate a strong, transparent partnership with the CEO and effectively leverage the staff’s skills and talents to achieve strategic goals. With this in mind, they will prioritize working closely with various stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation and evaluation of strategic plans. Driven by passion and foresight, the COO will position Xiente as a leader in the sector by staying ahead of trends, anticipating challenges, and proactively developing solutions.
• A Passion for the Mission: Above all, the COO will embody Xiente’s mission to “transform communities by empowering individuals to achieve social mobility.” To support this vision, the COO will drive the organization’s recognition for implementing innovative interventions. Empathy, collaboration, and respectful leadership will be essential qualities for the COO, who must also possess cultural competence and experience working with diverse populations, particularly those that are underrepresented or marginalized. As a result, this leader will demonstrate unwavering integrity, ethics, and values, earning trust across all levels of the organization.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $135,000 – $155,000 with a generous benefits package. Xiente offers an excellent benefits package that includes medical (including 90% of the health insurance premium for the employee), dental, and vision, as well as other great benefits such as four weeks’ vacation and 17 paid holidays.

Xiente is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of colour, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.