The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas (CALV) is the country’s leading nonprofit culinary and hospitality training institute. CALV’s mission is to train people for successful hospitality careers in Las Vegas. CALV’s vision is to reduce poverty and eliminate unemployment by providing employability and vocational skills to youth, adults, and displaced workers.

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The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for enhancing internal organizational processes and infrastructure to ensure that the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas will continue to grow and fulfill its mission. The COO analyzes operations to evaluate the performance of CALV and its staff in relationship to meeting stated organizational objectives and to determine areas of potential program improvement, cost reduction, and policy changes. The COO provides leadership and direction for select departments and hardwires operating practices that ensure student success, product quality, service delivery standards, safety goal achievement, and financial success. This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The COO builds on the organizational values and strategic vision for the long-term growth and sustainability of CALV. This person will determine and formulate policies and provide direction within the guidelines set by the CEO and Trustees. The COO will plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the support of department directors and staff mangers. The COO will Confer with the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems. This person will also communicate with internal and external customers and represents the organization to customers, the public, government officials, and other external sources.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Achieve Business Performance

• Be accountable for the aggregate plan and delivery of systems, operations, properties and maintenance, and the general operating model of CALV.

• Leverage the advantages of bringing together the operational expertise and drive through more efficient ways of working.

• Ensure strategic objectives shaped at Executive Management level are translated into tactical business plans with mechanisms for key measurements in place to monitor progress.

• Ensure that business change projects are delivered in line with directions from Executive Management level.

• Coordinate the efforts of the different operational areas under management to ensure minimal redundancies, maximum efficiency, and maximize value for money.

• Re-balance resources between different areas (e.g. reallocating budgets, within overall approved resources for the year).

• Contribute to the development of business unit strategy for the next 2-3 years by providing a view on potential improvements for products or services and an assessment of the existing situation and anticipated changes in the external environment.

• Manage departmental budgets including signing off invoices and quotes within policy, signing off capital expenditures within budget, and approving purchase or sell decisions.

• Analyze general effectiveness of processes and systems in use for the enterprise and recommend corrective action or automation.

• Review performance against balanced scorecard components as prescribed by the Executive Management, discuss gaps, and agree on action plans to close gaps.

• Benchmark productivity of the department against industry standards and create measures to improve productivity.

Driving Business Direction

• Be an integral part and driver of the strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting of business requirements and decision-making process.

• Build strong relationships with key external stakeholders, government, suppliers, etc. to ensure correct focus and direction for the enterprise at operations and service level.

• Ensure an effective and efficient operating model is maintained.

• Develop and facilitate planning across the COO environment.

• Serve on internal and external committees where applicable.

• Ensure that risk is effectively addressed in all aspects of the business.

• Ensure that a proper infrastructure (building, systems, and staff) is maintained and developed for the enterprise.

• Accountable for driving the business model under the COO environment.

• Accountable for planning and opening of new services or accounts in terms of expansion of the business and business plans.

People Management/Leadership

· Develop and maintain a positive and ethical work environment that is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating a diverse group of employees.

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders and peers on Executive Management to ensure the correct focus.

• Provide clear directions on strategic goals, translating and prioritizing them into business and performance measures.

• Lead, inspire, and coach a team of high caliber professionals, creating succession to key roles and enhancing CALV management capability.

• Monitor the strict adherence to governance and set high standards of professionalism across the functions.

• Ensure that managers create effective workforce plans and recruitment demands plans for their areas.

• Review Performance Improvement reports to determine effectiveness of interventions.

• Ensure participation by staff on satisfaction surveys and execute action items with the management teams of the business units.