ChicagoCAC employees are expected to perform their job duties and act in a manner consistent with the Core Values of the organization & DEIAB practices.  

Responsibility Summary:

The Director of Strategic Operations is a high-impact leadership role responsible for advancing organizational performance focusing on strategic initiatives, enterprise risk management, and enterprise-wide operational performance. This position plays a critical role in aligning operational procedures with agency-wide goals by leading efforts in strategic planning, compliance, performance monitoring, and risk mitigation. This role drives execution of strategic initiatives that optimize workforce capabilities while ensuring robust systems of accountability, data governance, and regulatory adherence

DEI&AB Culture Commitment: The Director of Strategic Operations is responsible for creating an inclusive environment that demonstrates equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging to our clients, ChicagoCAC employees, and partners. The position also assists in ChicagoCAC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging (DEIAB) initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities:

Strategic Operations Leadership:

• Design and lead cross-functional agency initiatives that operationalize the agency’s strategic plan through integrated operations and workforce strategies and policy.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to executive leadership, embedding operational excellence and change agility into all facets of strategic operations.
• Coordinate implementation of strategic initiatives across the organization, ensuring accountability, resource alignment, and results measurement.
• Lead the annual strategic assessment process to ensure progress against long-term goals and continuous improvement.

• Write, review and edit policies and standard operations procedures governing organizational and workforce activities across the agency and within the collaboration.

Enterprise Risk Management & Compliance:

• Collaborate with agency leaders to embed enterprise risk management (ERM) practices across organizational systems and processes.
• Create, monitor and revise processes to ensure full compliance with all employment regulations, HIPAA requirements, and grant funding guidelines.
• Conduct internal audits, manage risk registers for P&C operations, and contribute to organization-wide risk assessments and mitigation planning.
• Identify vulnerabilities in organizational operations and develop contingency and continuity plans.
• Assist with the creation of Medicaid billing and compliance processes.
• Support overall organizational safety and compliance through policy development, safety assessments, and regular reviews to ensure alignment with regulatory standards and risk mitigation best practices.

Performance Monitoring & Governance:

• Partner with program and other departments to build and maintain comprehensive performance monitoring frameworks that align with organizational KPIs and regulatory standards.
• Establish data governance and reporting protocols to ensure transparency, data integrity, and informed decision-making.
• Partner with Finance and other departments to support fiscal accountability and workforce cost modeling.
• Assist with the review of performance measurement systems that promote motivation, accountability, and continuous improvement at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

Organizational Change and Transformation:

• Engage as a thought partner in the people-centered strategic side of complex organizational change efforts including restructuring, mergers, and strategic pivots.
• Design transition and implementation plans that mitigate risk, engage stakeholders, and ensure continuity of culture and operations.
• Build change-readiness capabilities across departments to support scalable and sustainable transformation.
• Utilize data-driven assessments (e.g., readiness surveys, stakeholder analyses, culture audits) to inform change strategy and measure impact over time.
• Consult with senior leaders and managers on changing leadership competencies to enhance communication, trust, and alignment throughout transitions.

DEIAB and Culture Stewardship:

• Integrate DEIAB values into all aspects of operational strategy.
• Serve as a culture architect, reinforcing agency values through scalable systems, leader engagement, and inclusive program design.

Discretion

The Director of Strategic Operations has a mid-level range of discretion and independent decision-making.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Relationships

The Director of Strategic Operations works closely with the Chief Executive Officer, and other members of the executive leadership team. They also work closely with the staff responsible for creating and meeting our key performance indicators, and staff responsible for writing and monitoring grants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Risk Management, Public Administration, or related field. preferred master degree in related field
• Project Management Certificate (PMP): willingness to obtain PMP certification during the first six months of employment.
• At least 5 years of progressive management experience in operations, project management, enterprise risk management, and strategic plan implementations.
• In-depth knowledge of compliance frameworks including HIPAA, labor law, not-for-profit governance and government grant compliance.
• Experience driving cross-functional initiatives and building strategic operating systems.

• Exceptional analytical, project management, and strategic communication skills.