Career Center

Position Summary

The Director of Operations manages the Colorado Society of CPAs (COCPA or the Organization)  day-to-day operations and supervises the Operations Team in delivering the COCPA Member Promise of: Service, Career, Learning, Advocacy, and Connection in efforts to achieve the Organization’s mission of helping people thrive personally and professionally through service and connection.  The Director of Operations removes obstacles and barriers, manages major projects, and assists with budget development. The Director of Operations also works with the CPE (Continuing Professional Education) Board to set the strategy and monitor the financial performance of learning programs.

About the Organization

Founded in 1904, the Colorado Society of CPAs is a 501(c)(6) professional membership association for CPAs in Colorado with a membership of 6,000+. Its office is located in the Denver Tech Center. The COCPA operations encompass diverse activities including member services, continuing education, peer review, and, through the affiliated 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, fundraising and granting of scholarships. The COCPA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Core Values

The successful candidate will embrace and consistently demonstrate the COCPA Core Values: 

We are Adaptable and Courageous – Be afraid and do it anyway.

We are inquisitive, creative, and willing to experiment. We choose to be courageous in our conversations, behaviors, and actions even when it’s uncomfortable. Together, we tackle the challenges before us and adapt our processes, programming, services, and relationships to sustain and grow our organization for the future.

We Practice a Can Do Attitude – Yes we can!

We embrace opportunities and challenges with persistence, humor, grace, and a sprinkling of joy. We approach requests with an open mind and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done. We encourage and support others in the work they do. Experiment with something new? Have fun, too? 

We Are Engaged and Dependable – Count on me. Count on us.

We work hard, individually and together. We connect with and contribute to our team and the profession we serve. We are self-motivated and proactive. We focus on being solutions-oriented.

We Deliver Professional High Quality Work – Excellence is the norm.

We are personally and collectively accountable for producing our best work to the best of our ability. We pay attention to the details. We hold ourselves and each other responsible for delivering timely, accurate, and informative work products and resources.

We are Member/People Focused – People come first at COCPA.

We’re here to make a difference for members, often in unexpected ways. Whether through education, resources, connections, or solutions to problems and answers to questions, we support COCPA members in being successful.

We treat all people with respect, seek to understand, listen effectively, routinely give the benefit of the doubt, and embrace being compassionate and caring. We are resilient team players who understand and support each other in both our personal and professional lives.

Job Responsibilities

Leadership, Management, and Accountability

• Hire, train, supervise, and retain skilled operations team staff (currently a team of six)
• Serve as a key member of the leadership team, working with the Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, and other directors to establish and meet Organizational goals by following the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)
• Participate in quarterly and annual strategy-setting meetings
• Meet quarterly with each direct report to review performance and set goals
• Ensure operations team meets/exceeds relevant goals and financial targets
• Meet with outsourced marketing / communications team to identify and resolve issues

Manage Day-to-Day Operations

• Set operational strategy and lead the evaluation, development, improvement, and implementation of systems, processes and procedures supporting the needs of the Organization
• Oversee the execution and delivery for the Organization's day-to-day operations
• Attend weekly L10 meetings to identify and solve operational issues in collaboration with other departments, including the operations, marketing/communications, technology, and leadership teams
• Manage special projects

Execute Programs and Services 

• Foster a climate of adaptability in overseeing the planning and execution of events, such as conferences, meetings, and networking events, to provide value to members and promote the Organization's mission and goals
• Attend key member programming and events (CPAs Make a Difference gala, Colorado State Board of Accountancy meetings, Leadership Summit, etc.)
• Oversee the member service team to effectively and efficiently respond to member needs
• Collaborate with the marketing / communication team to execute on strategies to keep members informed of industry developments, association news, events and services
• Facilitate the activities of the CFO Working Group

Retain Members 

• Develop and execute a member retention strategy
• Lead and oversee the member dues billing process, including coordinating with the marketing / communications team for member communications
• Oversee the member onboarding and engagement strategy
• Collaborate with the Director of Member and Business Development and the marketing / communications team to evaluate  program, service and product evaluation and expansion to build membership value

Develop Learning Strategy

• Identify and develop training programs and other resources to support the professional development of members and the accounting profession
• Develop the overall learning content strategy in collaboration with the content specialist
• Serve as the key liaison to the volunteer CPE (Continuing Professional Education) Board
• Work with the CPE Board to set strategy and policy for the CPE/Learning program
• Present regular financial updates and annual budget recommendations to the CPE Board for approval
• Review and provide comments on Colorado State Board of Accountancy and AICPA/NASBA proposed CPE standards and rules changes
• Oversee the execution of learning programs, including in-person and virtual delivery

Develop Reporting and Analysis to Support Decisions 

• Monitor weekly EOS scorecard measurements
• Collaborate with the outsourced technology team in defining key data tracking priorities, managing the data sourcing process, and developing reporting tools to report on key information and measurables used in decision making
• Compile data collection for annual reports and analyze data to identify areas of improvement
• Provide reports to committees, Board of Directors, and the CEO
• Work with the CEO and CFO on setting pricing strategy,  budget, forecasts, and reviewing financial performance
• Conduct research and analysis on industry trends, market conditions, and other issues that affect the association and its members

Other Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with members of the Colorado State Board of Accountancy, AICPA, and other state CPA societies
• Attend national meetings to gain industry insights and represent the Organization

Schedule 

• Anticipated 40 hours of work per week with overtime hours required for time-critical projects or during high work volume periods
• The physical COCPA office is open for business from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and by appointment, 7:30 a.m. to noon on Friday (COCPA Core Hours). The specific hours and schedule will be determined jointly and approved by the supervisor with at least 30 hours a week scheduled during Core Office hours
• Remote work hours available by election and with supervisor approval (some in-person work at Denver Tech Center, CO location required)

Education, Experience, and Skill Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelors in Business Administration, Organizational Leadership,  Nonprofit Management or related fields required (Masters Degree preferred)
• Minimum five years’ in business operations, association management, or nonprofit experience, including several years in senior-level management
• Demonstrated leadership in strategic planning and operations management
• Proven record of managing virtually, with a strong ability to keep employees and volunteers engaged and motivated to deliver results
• Clear history of program/project/resource management

Customer service skills

• Commitment to the core value, “We are Member/People Focused”
• Poised, personable, and professional manner virtually and in-person
• Ability to respond to member needs efficiently and effectively

Data processing skills 

• Experience with Google Office Suite
• Ability to work in an association management system
• Basic math skills
• Working knowledge of data analysis and performance/operation metrics
• Working knowledge of IT/Business infrastructure
• Ability to use office equipment such as personal computer, computer printer, desktop calculator, scanner, copier

General skills

• Excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing, who effectively conveys ideas
• Outstanding organizational and leadership abilities
• Excellent interpersonal and public speaking skills
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Punctual and dependable
• Ability to be self-directed
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects/tasks
• Ability to delegate tasks when appropriate
• Strong discretion in handling confidential information
• Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on required tasks
• Ability to pass a criminal background check

Physical requirements

• Lift 20 pounds – frequent
• Sitting, talking, hearing – frequent
• Using hands to touch, handle, move objects – frequent
• Reaching with hands or arms – frequent
• Standing, walking – occasional
• Non-smoking office

About Colorado Society of CPAs

The Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA) is the statewide, not-for-profit professional association serving Colorado CPAs and the public for over 100 years. Founded in 1904, the COCPA comprises over 6,500 members, most of whom live and work in Colorado. Members are CPAs in public practice, industry, education, and government; non-CPAs on the professional staff of a Colorado CPA or CPA firm; Colorado accounting faculty; accounting professionals employed in industry; and students enrolled in a qualified accounting program.

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