Chief of Staff

The Bay Chief of Staff Lincoln, NE·Omaha, NE·Full time Apply for Chief of Staff This position will be based in either Lincoln or Omaha, depending on the location of the selected candidate. About The Bay The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates youth spaces in Omaha and Lincoln designed to help young people discover what’s possible and gain the community, skills, and experiences to make it happen. Our spaces serve as creative and workforce hubs where young people build confidence, capability, and real-world connection. Description Overview: The Chief of Staff (CoS) is a strategic partner to the Executive Director, focused on execution, alignment, and follow-through across a growing, multi-city organization. This role supports leadership team operations, attends department meetings on behalf of the ED, ensures cross-functional alignment, and keeps organizational priorities moving. Ideal for someone who values clarity, thrives in complex environments, and enjoys building systems that support strategic work. As The Bay grows, the complexity behind that work grows too. This role exists to help ensure the organization supporting those spaces stays focused, aligned, and able to deliver on its mission — especially for young people who don’t always get that shot elsewhere. Key Responsibilities Strategic & Organizational Execution Collaborate with the Executive Director to prioritize, scope, and structure high-impact initiatives. Track progress on strategic goals using staff input and key metrics. Anticipate organizational risks, capacity constraints, and misalignment before they escalates, and proactively surface options and recommendations. Implement and support the organization’s strategic plan and EOS framework, including Rocks, Scorecards, and quarterly planning. Troubleshoot roadblocks and propose actionable solutions. Lead or support special cross-functional projects. Operate with a high degree of autonomy, using sound judgment to move work forward without waiting for perfect clarity. Provide weekly synthesis reports summarizing organizational activity for the ED. Executive Office & Stakeholder Support Manage prioritization of the Executive Director’s schedule, commitments and key engagements. Prepare briefing materials, talking points, memos and presentations. Attend community events, stakeholder meetings or partner sessions with or on behalf of the ED. Ensure thorough notes, follow‑up and preparation around all ED-related meetings. Represent the Executive Director in meetings when appropriate. Attend department and leadership meetings as the ED’s representative. Capture updates, surface risks and maintain cross‑department alignment. Plan and facilitate leadership team meetings, retreats and cross‑department communication. Set agendas, guide discussions and ensure follow‑through. Monitor organizational pulse and internal bottlenecks. Maintain visibility into department goals and ensure alignment. Board, Governance & Communications Coordinate board meeting logistics, materials and scheduling. Track board‑related action items and ensure timely staff follow‑up. Support onboarding of new board members. Prepare strategic updates and dashboards for board meetings. Draft internal and external communications for the ED. Prepare quarterly staff messages, strategic updates and cross‑department communication summaries. Support internal culture initiatives with People Operations. Systems, Oversight & Emergent Response Help enforce organizational execution discipline by ensuring teams consistently use established systems and workflows to plan, track and complete work. Maintain visibility into cross‑department priorities, commitments, timelines and dependencies; surface risks and gaps early. Reinforce shared operating norms across tools used for project management, communication, documentation and AI‑enabled workflows. Partner with leaders to improve clarity, flow and follow‑through via better system design, adoption and accountability. Act as an early integrator during emergent issues or crises by coordinating information, aligning stakeholders and supporting rapid decision‑making. Support time‑sensitive execution needs from the Executive Director or leadership team. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. 5–10+ years experience in operations, project management or cross‑functional leadership roles. Strong project management and organizational skills. High emotional intelligence and sound judgment. Ability to represent an Executive Director internally and externally. Experience coordinating complex work across multiple departments. Commitment to equity, inclusion and a respectful workplace culture. This role requires a regular on‑site presence in both Lincoln and Omaha, with travel between the two cities approximately one to two days per week depending on the employee’s primary location. Preferred Qualifications Master’s in Public Administration, Nonprofit Management or related field. Experience supporting or partnering with an Executive Director or CEO. Familiarity with Google Workspace, Asana and Slack. Experience working with a board of directors. Background in organizational culture‑building or internal communications. Health, dental and vision insurance Paid holidays and sick leave Unlimited paid time off, with a mandatory minimum of two weeks Flexible scheduling and hybrid work options Mental health support and therapy access Paid parental leave Lifestyle spending account Sabbatical leave at 5 and 10 year milestones EEO STATEMENT The Bay is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as defined by law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply or to participate in the hiring process, please contact Applicants will not be required to provide medical or disability details at the application stage. #J-18808-Ljbffr