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Montana Career Opportunity – Chief Operations Officer (COO) – The Biomimicry Group

The Biomimicry Group comprises The Biomimicry Guild (the innovation consultancy for bio-Inspired design started in 1998), The Biomimicry Institute (the not-for-profit education entity founded in 2005) and a newly launched social enterprise (B corporation) designed to deliver a professional pathway in biomimicry. For more information please visit http://www.biomimicryguild.com and http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org.

Location: Missoula, Montana

Start Date: April 1, 2010 goal

Company: The Biomimicry Group

BIOMIMICRY

The premise of biomimicry is that Life has been performing design experiments in Earth’s R&D lab for 3.85 billion years and what is flourishing on the planet today are the best ideas-those that perform well in context, while economizing on energy and materials. Whatever a company’s design challenge, the odds are high that one or more of the world’s 30 million creatures has not only faced the same challenge, but has evolved effective strategies to solve it.

Among many activities, the Biomimicry Guild helps companies find, vet, understand, and emulate these effective strategies, while the Biomimicry Institute works to integrate these ideas into educational systems from early childhood to the university level. Tying these efforts together, the new social enterprise will have an educational platform to deliver a professional pathway in biomimicry.

For centuries, biologists have been in labs and fields taking notes on the adaptive strategies life has developed. Unfortunately, much of this information is inaccessible, locked up in technical, scientific papers written for other biologists, and rarely organized by engineering or design function. The Biomimicry Group unlocks this information for companies and communities by sorting through it and translating relevant strategies into language that can be understood by non-biologists who are seeking strategies to emulate.

For more information about biomimicry, please see the websites mentioned above or read "Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature" written by Co-Founder, Janine Benyus.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Biomimicry Group, headquartered in the Rocky Mountains in the city of Missoula, Montana, seeks an experienced professional who, as Chief Operations Officer, can optimize the internal operations of our growing and evolving group of companies. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated entrepreneurial aptitude and deep experience in sustainability and innovation, as well as a thorough understanding of the interrelationships between administrative functions, operations, and programs within a business environment. This position requires an individual who is comfortable and excited about working in a dynamic environment with professionals from multiple disciplines, including scientists, designers, architects, engineers, and business catalysts. We seek an open-minded individual who values professionalism, creativity, systems thinking, management agility, and having fun.

This position provides services to our employees and our contractors in established and virtual offices around the U.S. The Biomimicry Group’s staff of 20 is distributed across offices in Missoula, Bozeman, Helena and Stevensville, MT, New York, NY, Amherst, MA and Berkeley, CA.

Reporting directly to the Biomimicry Group Leadership Team, the COO will be responsible for the development, design, implementation, and improvement of the Biomimicry Group’s infrastructure with the goal of creating the systems and efficiencies necessary for the Biomimicry Group operations while maintaining its signature brand quality. The COO will lead all aspects of operations strategy and implementation, including: coordinating finances and budgeting, facilitating communications and marketing, creating and implementing organization-wide policies and procedures, implementing payroll and benefits, and monitoring legal compliance.

As a member of the Management Team, the COO is a key contributor in setting the strategic direction for the organization and will be tasked with leading special projects and new areas of growth. The COO must have strong financial management and analytical skills, have outstanding human resource skills, be fast paced and flexible, and have a proven ability to anticipate the evolving needs and opportunities of a rapidly growing organization.

Successful candidates will be able to lead all day-to-day operations for the Biomimicry Group and to support staff needs as well as to provide ongoing leadership, vision, and strategy for the Biomimicry Group as it grows. The COO role is a unique opportunity for a passionate, experienced, and entrepreneurial individual to play a critical role in amplifying biomimicry in the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Leadership

* Develop a comprehensive operations strategy for long-term objectives to optimize business operational management systems and procedures between multiple offices with employees and consultants across the country

* Work with the Senior Leadership Team and the Management Team to develop and refine strategic goals and growth targets in response to evolving needs

* Lead special projects and new areas of growth

* Serve as an internal efficiency and strategy consultant. Support all company activities by recommending and implementing innovations and serving as a resource to senior staff on process and system design

* Provide leadership to a quickly growing finance, technology, marketing, and operations staff

* Lead preparations for and participate in Board and Advisory meetings, lead and support board and advisory committees

Fiscal Management

* Oversee all aspects of finances: manage accountants, oversee bookkeeping, monitor cash flow, manage costs and allocation of resources, identify operating efficiencies, implement financial reporting systems and controls, and lead annual audit

* Provide monthly financial reports and analysis to the Senior Leadership Team

* Coordinate the budgeting process, including planning and projecting staffing and resource needs of all programs and departments. Educate and support staff on financial processes

* Support the Development Department by producing budgets and financial reports for funders

Operations, Personnel, IT, Facilities

* Assist in the supervision, training and performance evaluation of personnel

* Develop and implement procedures and documentation to ensure the consistency, scalability, and sustainability of programs and departments

* Oversee and collaborate with the technology staff team on IT quality, planning, and implementation

* Ensure effective equipment, capacity, support, and backup

* Effectively manage all vendor relationships, contacts, and outsourced services

* Ensure physical space meets needs. Serve as point person on analysis and execution of lease and sublet negotiations, moves, renovations, etc.

* With support of office managers, ensure adequate supplies and equipment

* Oversee implementation of benefits and payroll for staff

Compliance

* Work with attorneys on legal and compliance issues, including developing contracts, protecting intellectual property, maintaining trademark(s), meeting IRS requirements, insurance needs, HR issues, etc.

* Monitor program compliance with all applicable federal and local government regulations and other funder guidelines

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

* Passion for developing the Biomimicry Group into a bonfire brand that can adapt and evolve and achieve resilience

* Proven ability to contribute to the strategic direction of an organization and to manage details and expertise in project planning and management

* Skills to find and implement creative options for solving complex management challenges

* Communicates clearly and effectively, orally and in writing

* Comprehensive analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills

* Ability to independently and proactively anticipate and identify operational needs and opportunities

* Proven ability to handle delicate or controversial personnel matters with dignity, calmness and confidentiality

* Significant prior experience in financial management and reporting with a preference for experience with both non-profit and for-profit finance

* Process and systems-oriented, but balanced with appropriate flexibility

* Ability to oversee a comprehensive communications strategy

* Extreme flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial sprit to accommodate high responsibility and shifting priorities

* Excellent at building relationships and managing by influence, customer service orientation, can do attitude

* Proven leader, approachable teacher, and accountable team player

* Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, enthusiasm, and the ability to demonstrate a sincere and deep commitment to the mission of the Biomimicry Group

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

* Minimum undergraduate degree, advanced degree preferred

* Minimum 7 years experience in operations/management and business with at least 3 years of supervisory experience

* Experienced and familiar with MS Office, QuickBooks, and web-based collaborative tools

* Demonstrated commitment to sustainability

Note: Yes, we are aware that this job description entails a broad range of skills and tasks for one person. However, with anticipated organizational growth, we expect to double in staff over the next five years. Accordingly, some of these responsibilities will have increasingly shared support as staff grows.

Compensation and Benefits:

Creative compensation package includes base salary, COL increases, bonuses, health insurance, HSA, profit sharing, flextime, and retirement package. Starting salary is commensurate with experience, and has high potential with company growth.

To Apply:

Please submit your cover letter, resume, references, and a statement on why you would like to work for the Biomimicry Group to [email protected]. Applicants with potential will be asked to answer supplemental questions prior to an interview. Position remains open until filled.

The Biomimicry Group is an equal opportunity employer. In order to ensure equal employment opportunity for every applicant, all hiring decisions will be made without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship status, veteran status, or disability. The Biomimicry Group is firmly committed to a policy and practice of non-discrimination in all areas of employment, and will fully comply with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes pertaining to employment.

Chris Allen, Director

AskNature.org — A Project of The Biomimicry Institute

257 W. Front Street, Suite B

Missoula, MT 59802 USA

+1.406.728.4134

[email protected]

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