Overview

Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Overland Park, KS at RSP & Associates

Title: Chief Operating Officer

Company: RSP & Associates

Location: Overland Park, KS

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

RSP Overview

Midwest Region | Professional Services | K–12 Education Sector

RSP is a Midwest consulting firm that provides data-driven planning and decision support to K–12 school districts. For more than 25 years, we have helped school leaders make informed decisions through enrollment analysis, boundary planning, demographic forecasting, and community engagement.

As demand for our services continues to grow, we are seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to help guide the next phase of our organization’s development. This is a high-impact executive role focused on strengthening operational systems, ensuring disciplined execution, and maintaining consistent, high-quality client service.

Position Overview

The COO serves as the operational leader responsible for turning the CEO’s strategic vision into consistent execution across projects, teams, and client engagement.

This role oversees consulting delivery, team performance, operational systems, and resource management to support scalable and sustainable growth. The COO works closely with the CEO to guide day-to-day operations while maintaining clear and professional communication with both team members and clients.

You Will

  • Oversee consulting engagements from initiation through delivery
  • Maintain alignment between client expectations, project deliverables, and timelines
  • Lead and coordinate internal teams (GIS analysts, planners, and consultants) to deliver high-quality work
  • Align team workloads with project demand and seasonal district planning cycles
  • Strengthen systems that support board presentations and community engagement processes

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead operational execution across consulting engagements, ensuring projects are delivered with clarity, consistency, and strong client communication
  • Ensure quality control and consistency across all client deliverables
  • Develop scalable workflows that reduce team stress while maintaining proactive communication and adherence to project timelines
  • Manage team resources against financial performance targets with transparent internal reporting
  • Improve communication processes that support district leadership, board engagement, and community-facing work

Success in the First 12 Months

Success in this role will be reflected in the strength, consistency, and scalability of the organization’s operations. The COO will work closely with the CEO to establish measurable operational benchmarks and refine systems that support high-quality consulting delivery.

Performance in this role will be evaluated through outcomes such as:

Operational Execution

  • Consulting engagements delivered on schedule with clear client communication
  • Consistent quality and alignment across project deliverables
  • Improved internal workflows that support efficient project delivery

Team Coordination and Resource Alignment

  • Effective alignment of team workloads with project demand and seasonal district cycles
  • Clear internal communication and accountability across teams
  • Reduced operational friction that allows team members to focus on high-value work

Client Engagement and Trust

  • Strong relationships with district leadership teams and board members
  • Clear and structured communication throughout consulting engagements
  • Positive client feedback and continued client partnerships

Operational Systems and Organizational Growth

  • Implementation of systems that support scalable consulting delivery
  • Operational improvements that strengthen the organization’s ability to grow while maintaining service quality
  • Increased organizational clarity around roles, workflows, and project management processes

What We’re Looking For

  • Proven operational leadership experience in a consulting, professional services, or education-focused organization
  • Strong systems thinker with experience developing or improving operational workflows
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver complex projects
  • Financial and resource management experience in a billable-service environment
  • Executive presence and credibility with both the RSP team and clients
  • Clear, structured communication skills
  • Experience working in or with school districts is strongly preferred

Our Culture

The COO will help reinforce a culture built on accountability, clarity, and disciplined execution. Successful leaders in this role typically demonstrate the following characteristics:

Ownership and Accountability

  • Leaders take responsibility for outcomes, follow through on commitments, and ensure projects move forward with clarity and discipline.

Operational Discipline

  • Strong leaders bring structure to complex environments, build systems that support consistency, and help teams operate effectively during periods of growth.

Clear and Professional Communication

  • The ability to communicate clearly with internal teams, district leadership, school boards, and community stakeholders is essential.

Calm Leadership in Complex Situations

  • Consulting work with school districts often involves competing priorities and public-facing decisions. Effective leaders remain thoughtful, steady, and solutions-oriented.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

  • We value leaders who regularly evaluate processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement refinements that strengthen both client service and team effectiveness.

Why This Role Matters

This role supports the company’s transition from a founder-led model to a scalable, systems-driven organization.

The COO will help ensure growth is sustainable, operational systems are strong, and client relationships continue to thrive. If you are an operational leader who enjoys building structure, guiding teams, and delivering excellence in a mission-driven environment, we encourage you to apply.

The Opportunity for the Right Leader

This position offers a unique opportunity for an operational leader who enjoys building systems and guiding teams in a mission-driven environment. The COO will play a central role in shaping the next phase of the organization, strengthening internal systems while supporting school districts across the Midwest in making thoughtful, data-informed decisions about enrollment, facilities, and community planning.

For the right leader, this role provides the opportunity to:

  • Build and refine operational systems that support sustainable growth
  • Lead complex consulting engagements with meaningful impact on school communities
  • Work directly with the CEO to guide the firm’s next stage of development
  • Strengthen a collaborative team of planners, analysts, and consultants
  • Help school districts make decisions that shape the future of their communities

This role offers the opportunity to apply disciplined operational leadership while contributing to work that directly affects students, families, and school systems.

Who This Role Is Not For

This role requires a high level of ownership, structure, and operational leadership. It is not designed for candidates seeking primarily strategic advisory work or individual consulting roles.

This position may not be the right fit if you:

  • Prefer working independently rather than coordinating cross-functional teams
  • Are uncomfortable managing multiple complex projects simultaneously
  • Prefer advisory roles without operational accountability for execution
  • Prefer loosely structured environments rather than building and improving operational systems
  • Are not comfortable interacting with senior district leadership, school boards, and community stakeholders

Successful candidates take ownership of outcomes, bring structure to complex environments, and ensure projects move forward with clarity and accountability.

Key Qualifications

Candidates considered for this position should bring the following experience and background:

Minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in one or more of the following roles:

  • Chief Operating Officer or senior operational leadership role
  • District-level administrator or director within a K–12 school system
  • Director-level leader in consulting, planning, or education service organizations

Additional qualifications include:

  • Demonstrated experience leading complex operational initiatives involving cross-functional teams and stakeholder environments
  • Advanced degree preferred (MBA, MPA, Ed.D., or equivalent graduate degree in business, public administration, educational leadership, or a related field)
  • Demonstrated ability to build and implement operational systems that support scalable service delivery
  • Experience aligning staffing resources with project demand and seasonal client cycles
  • Strong decision-making skills supported by data, financial awareness, and operational insight
  • Ability to maintain clear internal communication, accountability, and team coordination
  • Experience working with complex stakeholder environments, including district leadership and community engagement processes
  • Comfort operating in a growth-oriented organization transitioning from founder-led operations to scalable systems
  • Willingness to travel to support district leadership meetings, board presentations, and client engagement across the Midwest

Compensation

·       RSP offers a competitive executive compensation package aligned with experience, leadership responsibilities, and the impact of the role within the organization.

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