Application Guide
How to Apply for Chief Operating Officer (COO)
at National Domestic Workers Alliance / La Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores del Hogar
🏢 About National Domestic Workers Alliance / La Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores del Hogar
The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading national voice for dignity, respect, and recognition for domestic workers in the U.S., representing an alliance of over 76 organizations and 395,000 domestic workers. Founded in 2007 by organizers and worker leaders, NDWA has successfully passed policies that enable rights and higher wages, changed public awareness about care work, and built the leadership of domestic workers to advocate for their rights. Working here means joining a historic movement to transform domestic work into good, economically secure jobs and to shape the future of care in America.
About This Role
As COO, you will be the strategic and operational backbone of NDWA, reporting directly to the Executive Director and overseeing Finance, People & Culture, Operations and Events, Technology, and Legal. You will lead a team of direct reports including the VP of Finance, VP of People & Culture, Director of Operations and Events, Director of Technology, and General Counsel. This role is pivotal in ensuring NDWA's internal infrastructure supports its ambitious mission, especially as the organization enters a new era of growth and impact.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve meeting with the Executive Director to discuss strategic priorities, reviewing financial reports with the VP of Finance, and troubleshooting a technology issue with the Director of Technology. You might also have a check-in with the VP of People & Culture about staff development or a planning session for an upcoming in-person staff retreat. Throughout, you'd balance high-level strategy with hands-on problem-solving to ensure NDWA's operations run smoothly and equitably.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who National Domestic Workers Alliance / La Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores del Hogar Is Looking For
- Proven experience as a COO or senior operations executive in a mission-driven organization, ideally with a background in labor, social justice, or nonprofit advocacy.
- Strong financial acumen and experience managing complex budgets, with the ability to align financial strategy with organizational goals.
- Demonstrated success in leading and developing diverse, high-performing teams across multiple functions such as finance, HR, operations, and technology.
- Deep commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice, and a understanding of the domestic work sector and the challenges facing immigrant women workers.
📝 Tips for Applying to National Domestic Workers Alliance / La Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores del Hogar
Highlight your experience in scaling operations and infrastructure in a rapidly growing organization, especially in a remote-first environment.
Showcase your ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage senior leaders, as this role directly supervises VPs and directors.
Demonstrate your commitment to NDWA's mission by referencing specific campaigns or policy wins, and explain how your operational leadership can advance domestic workers' rights.
Emphasize any experience working with unions, worker centers, or grassroots movements, as NDWA is deeply rooted in worker organizing.
Address the remote nature of the role and your ability to foster connection and culture across a distributed team, including occasional in-person attendance.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your vision for how operational excellence can support NDWA's next era of growth and impact, particularly in strengthening the care sector.", 'Specific examples of how you have led finance, HR, operations, and technology teams to achieve strategic goals in a mission-driven context.', "Your personal connection to the domestic workers' movement or a clear articulation of why this mission resonates with you.", 'Your approach to managing a remote team and ensuring accountability, equity, and inclusion across all functions.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review NDWA's history, mission, and key campaigns such as the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights and the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.
- → Understand the structure of NDWA as an alliance of over 76 organizations and how it collaborates with member groups and worker leaders.
- → Research the current landscape of domestic work in the U.S., including challenges faced by nannies, house cleaners, and care workers, and recent policy developments.
- → Learn about NDWA's funding model, major funders, and partnerships to understand the financial context in which the COO will operate.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing too much on corporate operational experience without connecting it to social justice or movement building.
- Underestimating the importance of worker leadership and grassroots organizing in NDWA's model; avoid top-down language.
- Neglecting to address the remote-first aspect of the role and how you would maintain team cohesion and productivity.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to National Domestic Workers Alliance / La Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores del Hogar!