Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP)

Chief Operating Officer

Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia (Hybrid)

Salary: $120,000 - $130,000

BACKGROUND

The Organization

ASAP is a fast-growing, entrepreneurial organization creating communities where veterans and their families thrive through the arts. As the nation’s largest military-arts organization, we’re addressing social isolation and mental health challenges within the military-connected community. Our programs leverage the arts as a powerful set of tools to move through questions of identity, community, tragedy, purpose, loss, and war. Through the arts, ASAP graduates gain new tools for self-understanding and self-expression, then share their new talents with supportive audiences, ultimately empowering participants to feel seen, heard, and known.  

6,000 military-connected individuals representing all 50 states have graduated from our free classes since 2015 — including 2,500 in 2025 alone. Peer-reviewed research demonstrates ASAP participants experience significant, lasting improvements in social connectivity, resilience, self-esteem, and integration of self — enhancing protective factors against suicide. Our alumni have performed for 300,000 audience members at venues like The Kennedy Center, Carolines on Broadway, Warner Theater, and The White House. ASAP has been featured by CNN, ABC, NBC, PBS, NPR, The Washington Post, and POLITICO. In 2024, ASAP CEO Brian Jenkins was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. As we celebrate our tenth anniversary in 2025, ASAP is preparing for a new phase of national expansion. 

To learn more, visit https://asapasap.org/. 

The Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a key partner to the CEO, providing the strategic and operational leadership needed to guide the organization through its next stage of growth. As a key internal leader, the COO will oversee day-to-day operations, strengthen systems to support scalability, and ensure organizational stability and program quality across all ASAP chapters. The role includes financial oversight and strong fiscal management to ensure accountability and sustainability.

The ideal candidate will be a confident, self-aware, and collaborative leader who is both hands-on and mission driven. They will play a critical role in sustaining a strong organizational culture, fostering alignment and partnership across staff and the board, and co-leading fundraising and external engagement. The COO must be equally comfortable as a strategic thinker and operational executor—balancing vision with action—while embodying the organization’s values and deep commitment to veterans, military families, and the power of the arts to build community and promote mental health.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Strategic Leadership

• Support organizational goal setting in partnership with the CEO, Board, and Directors to ensure alignment across operations, program development, and execution.
• Provide strategic leadership by clarifying direction, driving alignment, and ensuring organizational priorities are met.
• Partner with the CEO and senior leaders to co-lead fundraising and strategic partnerships that fuel growth.
• Foster stronger board involvement and leadership, particularly in fundraising and strategic discussions.
• Represent the organization effectively to external stakeholders and champion the mission publicly.

Operations Management & Growth

• Oversee internal operations, including systems, structure, compliance, culture, and HR.
• Build and implement operational systems, policies, and processes to support organizational growth.
• Establish structure and predictability in operations to support staff well-being and sustain high program quality.
• Serve as a strategic financial steward, ensuring sound budgeting, reporting, and resource allocation in partnership with leadership.

Organizational Culture & People Leadership

• Sustain and foster an organizational culture of authenticity, courage, tenacity, humor, and excellence even as the organization grows. Lead as a hands-on manager, not only a high-level strategist, bringing energy, curiosity, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. Actively engage with teams, provide guidance on key projects, and model best practices, while maintaining a strategic view that aligns day-to-day operations with long-term goals.
• Motivate and nurture staff through compassionate and inclusive leadership to foster a positive, tight-knit, and collaborative environment. Support professional growth, recognize achievements, encourage active communication, and maintain open channels for feedback to strengthen morale, accountability, and team cohesion.
• Champion an outcome-focused and flexible approach that values results over rigid processes, encourages thoughtful risk-taking, and adapts to the needs of a dynamic organization. As the organization scales, remain committed to preserving its collaborative and communicative culture, ensuring that clear flows and policies serve the interests of the team without diminishing its supportive spirit.

Year Founded

Budget

Total FT Staff

2015

$2M

11

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate for the Chief Operating Officer position possesses the following competencies:

Additional Qualifications 

• Genuine alignment with the mission, with a strong connection to veterans, military families, and/or the arts. Appreciation for the arts as a tool for mental health and community.
• At least five years of demonstrated leadership and operational experience in nonprofit management and operations.
• Proven success as a trusted partner to a CEO or executive leader to balance internal operations and external priorities.
• Strong people management skills that encourage creativity and collaboration; able to motivate, align, and support staff during times of growth.
• Ability to set clear priorities, delegate effectively, and guide investment in people and systems.
• Proven experience scaling nonprofits or mission-driven organizations, with the ability to translate strategic vision into execution.
• Demonstrated strength in organizational strategy and systems-building, with experience strengthening infrastructure to support mission delivery.
• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting, reporting, and resource allocation.
• Familiarity with fundraising, business development, and external stakeholder engagement; able to partner with leadership to drive revenue growth.
• Exceptional executive presence, business acumen, and presentation skills.
• Collaborative, culturally competent, and hands-on leadership style.
• Creativity, adaptability, and open-mindedness; able to balance innovation with reasoning and practicality.
• Empathetic, strong interpersonal and communication skills.

WHO WE ARE

Work Environment

The ideal candidate will be based in the Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia (DMV) area. This role requires coworking one day a week with the CEO and other DMV-based colleagues.

Our Culture

At ASAP, our culture is rooted in creativity, courage, and excellence, guided by a spirit of humor and collaboration. We move quickly and work with intention, embracing risk-taking and learning from mistakes as part of growth. Our team values clear communication, accountability, and open feedback, while also recognizing the importance of balance and flexibility in life outside of work. We take our mission seriously, trust one another’s expertise, and genuinely enjoy working together to achieve impact.

This position is based upon material provided by Armed Services Arts Partnership, an equal opportunity employer.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary: $120,000 - $130,000

Benefits

• 401(k) with 3% employer contribution
• 18 days PTO
• 12+ paid holidays
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Life and disability insurance
• Professional development stipend

TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS

If you are interested in this position, please click here. All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application. 

We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications outlined above. If you are selected to move forward for an initial screening call, we expect you to hear from us by late October.

Nina Cogan

Talent Consultant

ncogan@drgtalent.com

Dave Yi

Associate Talent Consultant

dyi@drgtalent.com

Submit an application HERE.