What Does a Nonprofit Chief Operations Officer Really Do?

Jarrett Ransom is joined by Dean Scheinert, Chief Operations Officer at St. Joseph the Worker, to explore the evolving role of a COO in the nonprofit sector. Dean shares what it's like to be the first-ever COO at a 30+ year-old nonprofit, why empathy and trust-building are essential in leadership, and how his background in banking helped him transition into purpose-driven work. The conversation tackles big questions: What does a COO do? Do you need one? And if you're thinking about transitioning into nonprofit leadership mid-career, Dean offers powerful, practical advice. 📌 “It’s not a rubber stamp—you have to earn trust and credibility every single day.” – Dean Scheinert 00:00:00 Welcome and episode intro 00:01:47 Guest: Dean Scheinert, COO at St. Joseph the Worker 00:03:06 What is a COO and where do they sit in the org chart? 00:05:06 Dean’s steep learning curve and first 90 days 00:07:43 Why empathy is key to effective nonprofit leadership 00:09:02 Gaining trust as the organization’s first COO 00:12:15 Long-term impact of adding a COO to a nonprofit team 00:14:47 Does COO mean automatic succession to CEO? 00:16:56 Succession planning and organizational resilience 00:19:24 Advice for professionals transitioning into nonprofit leadership 00:22:14 Final thoughts and contact info for Dean #NonprofitLeadership #COORole #OrganizationalChange #nonprofitcoo #TheNonprofitShow