Chief Operating Officer

Reports To: President/CEO Exemption Status: Exempt 

Position Summary:  The COO has overall responsibility for leading and managing a comprehensive array of services and programs, while supporting and executing the Mission.   The COO’s areas of responsibility include Marketing/PR,   Biological Operations, Operations / Life Support, Exhibit Design, Marine Operations, Education and the Visitor Experience.

The COO is responsible for developing, implementing and managing the operational and goal related aspects of the business plan.  The COO is responsible for program and service planning and implementation.  While it is essential that the COO bring efficient and effective systems and analytics to increase the productivity of the organization, it is also critical that the team retain the creative spark to enhance the Florida Aquarium’s Vision and Mission.  The COO works with the CEO and Board of Directors to keep them abreast of programmatic and operational strategies, business opportunities and challenges.

As a member of the Florida Aquarium’s leadership team, actively participates in organization-wide policy decisions, strategic planning fundraising strategy, Board relations, resource allocation and representation of the FLAQ mission and brand.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning: Provides day to day leadership for all strategic planning processes, with the CEO and senior staff.  Ensures all short and long term plans are aligned with the Aquarium’s Vision, Mission and Values and their implementation is progressing and achieving all established goals.  

Leadership: Provides effective and inspiring leadership and stewardship by being actively involved in all programs and services. Implements and leads a continuous quality improvement process throughout the program and service areas, focusing on customer service, revenue enhancement, expense management, systems/process improvement and facility investments.  Ensures emergency preparedness management plans are in effect. 

Management: Provide oversight and management amongst senior leadership ensuring they are engaged, focused and guiding the implementation of the performance management system organizationally. Ensures appropriate criteria systems/processes, measurements and results are achieved and sustained to further the competitiveness of the aquarium. 

Visitor Experience: Leads the effort to create experiences, programs, exhibits, animal interactions, services and facilities that delight and educate visitors.  Conducts visitor research activities to provide timely information on trends, interests, and satisfaction metrics.  Shares this information and work across departments to integrate the promise and the delivery. 

Brand Development and Business Growth:  Responsible for setting and meeting attendance and admission revenue goals.  Leads the sales and marketing teams in developing and implementing strategic plans designed to achieve those goals while building awareness and equity in the FLAQ brand. 

Revenue:  Working with the FLAQ Leadership Team, ensures all departmental and programmatic revenue goals are met including retail operations, education programs and added value guest experiences. 

Animal Care: Provide direction and oversee the day-to-day operations of the Biological Operations department to ensure the health of the animals, appropriate acquisition, display, care and maintenance of aquatic, avian, mammalian and horticultural specimens. Oversee the management of the animal collection to ensure a diverse mix of species that contribute to the overall financial stability of the Aquarium. 

Conservation and Research: Oversee all research and conservation initiatives ensuring that all research and conservation is relevant, goal-specific and in direct support of the aquarium's mission. Lead and manage research and conservation programs at the Aquarium and Center for Conservation in cooperation with professional organizations and educational institutions. Ensure that all research using living organisms is conducted in a professionally competent and ethical manner. 

Programs and Services:  Reviews programs being offered and develop new programs and services as needs and opportunities emerge.   Identifies opportunities for growing, eliminating or consolidating programs to take advantage of new opportunities and/or to address organizational challenges. 

Capital Programs:  Working with the CEO, CFO, Development office and Board, determines capital planning to ensure sound infrastructure and facility planning to achieve our Mission; including Exhibits and Facility Master Plan with estimates of project costs, work schedules and sources of funds. 

Talent Management: Working with HR, implements effective recruitment, training and retention strategies that meet the needs of the organization and further develop staff skills and competencies.  Promotes regular and ongoing opportunities for all staff to give feedback on program operations. 

Budget: Working with the CEO and CFO, prepares and submits annual operation and capital budget.  Manages effectively within this budget and reports accurately on progress made and challenges encountered.  Ensures sustainable financial future through sound fiscal management.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 10 plus years as a senior level manager
• Related aquarium, zoo or attraction management background preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• A demonstrated ability to lead people and get results individually and through others.
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach a senior level staff to manage and develop high-performance teams and develop and implement organizational strategies
• Create synergistic relationships among departments.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software

Competencies

• Leadership — Effective and appropriate use of interpersonal skills to motivate individuals toward the accomplishment of goals; co-creating and communicating a clear vision through emphasis on the organization’s mission, vision and values,  individual and team goals, systems and rewards.
• Integrity/Trust Maintaining social, ethical, and organizational values and norms; building trust and confidence with the staff and with internal and external customers; respecting the confidentiality of personal and proprietary information.
• Teamwork — Supporting, facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrating sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and supporting team goals.
• Planning and Organizing — Establishing a course of action with specific long-range goals for the aquarium; setting priorities among competing requirements and allocating resources in the most efficient and effective way; developing contingency plans that anticipate changes in the work environment.
• Judgment — Deciding on and committing to an action on the examination of the facts at hand; finding creative solutions to situations and opportunities that arise; taking strategic risks when necessary.
• Analysis — Obtaining relevant information and identifying key issues and relationships from a base of information; comparing data from different sources (both interactive and written); defining underlying problems or opportunities and recognizing trends; defining and structuring functions and teams based on key strategies and goals.
• Customer Service Orientation— Listening and understanding the customer (both internal and external) and anticipating and evaluating the customer’s needs; making the customer’s satisfaction a high priority in all areas of responsibility.