How COOs Keep Their Nonprofits Running Smoothly

This article explores the critical but often underdefined role of Chief Operating Officers (COOs) in nonprofit organisations, positioning them as the bridge between strategy and execution. Drawing on insights from Bridgespan Group’s work with nonprofit leaders, the piece highlights how COOs ensure that organisational priorities are translated into coordinated action across teams, systems, and processes. The resource outlines the diverse ways the COO role can be structured depending on an organisation’s size, maturity, and leadership model, emphasising that there is no single blueprint. Instead, effective COOs adapt to organisational needs—ranging from overseeing day-to-day operations and internal systems to driving cross-functional alignment, managing performance, and supporting leadership decision-making. A key theme is the COO’s role as an “integrator,” responsible for breaking down silos, improving communication, and ensuring that different parts of the organisation are working toward shared goals. This includes strengthening operational systems such as planning, budgeting, talent management, and performance tracking—areas that are often underdeveloped in growing nonprofits. The article also underscores how strong operational leadership enables Executive Directors and CEOs to focus on external priorities such as strategy, partnerships, and fundraising. In this way, COOs contribute not only to internal efficiency but also to an organisation’s ability to scale impact sustainably.