Application Guide
How to Apply for Chief Operating Officer (COO)
at Rhizome
🏢 About Rhizome
Rhizome is a youth-powered civic engagement organization that builds collective power among young people to create a safer, happier, healthier world. With a mission to activate young people’s identities into action, they have grown rapidly from 90 co-founders and now seek to scale their impact through operational excellence. Working here means joining a values-driven team that prioritizes love over survival and treats civic service as a lifelong commitment.
About This Role
As COO, you will serve as the strategic and operational backbone of Rhizome, strengthening organizational infrastructure to support rapid growth and long-term sustainability. You’ll work closely with Co-CEOs and the Board to oversee operations, compliance, and technology strategy, directly enabling the organization to scale its impact on youth civic engagement. This is a high-impact role where you’ll shape the systems that power a movement.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a check-in with the Co-CEOs to align on strategic priorities, followed by reviewing operational metrics and team progress. You could then meet with the technology lead to discuss a new CRM system, spend time on compliance documentation, and end the day with a virtual town hall with staff to gather feedback on new processes. The role balances high-level strategy with hands-on problem-solving to keep the organization running smoothly.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Rhizome Is Looking For
- Proven experience scaling operations in a fast-growing nonprofit or mission-driven organization, ideally with a focus on youth or civic engagement.
- Deep expertise in building and implementing operational systems (HR, finance, compliance, technology) aligned with progressive values.
- Strong strategic thinking and ability to partner with Co-CEOs and Board to translate vision into operational plans.
- Comfort with remote-first culture and experience managing distributed teams across time zones.
📝 Tips for Applying to Rhizome
Tailor your resume to highlight specific operational wins in scaling organizations, especially metrics like growth in headcount, budget, or program reach.
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your personal values to Rhizome’s mission of building collective power for young people.
Mention any experience with youth organizing, civic engagement, or social justice movements to show cultural alignment.
Prepare a concrete example of a time you improved operational efficiency while maintaining equity and inclusion.
Since the deadline is June 7, apply early and double-check that your application addresses the unique challenges of a remote-first, values-driven organization.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your passion for Rhizome’s mission and how your operational expertise can help scale their impact.', 'Specific examples of building systems that support growth without losing organizational culture or values.', 'Your experience with remote team management and technology strategy for distributed workforces.', 'How you approach compliance and risk management in a way that aligns with a youth-led, progressive organization.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review Rhizome’s website and recent annual reports to understand their programs, growth trajectory, and impact metrics.
- → Look into their leadership team (Co-CEOs and Board) to understand their backgrounds and leadership style.
- → Read about their organizing model and how they measure success in civic engagement among young people.
- → Check their social media and news mentions for recent initiatives or challenges they’ve faced.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn’t reference Rhizome’s specific mission or values.
- Focusing solely on corporate or for-profit experience without connecting it to nonprofit or mission-driven work.
- Ignoring the remote-first culture – emphasize your ability to lead and communicate effectively in a distributed environment.
📅 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!