Chief Operating Officer (COO) in Santa Ana, California at Illumination Health + Home

“Every person deserves compassion, dignity, and the safety of a place to call home.”

Homelessness is the largest social and public health crisis in California. Illumination Health + Home is a growing non-profit organization dedicated towards disrupting the cycle of homelessness by providing targeted, interdisciplinary services in our recuperative care centers, emergency shelters, housing services and children's and family programs. IH+H currently has 13+ facilities with 22+ micro-communities scattered across Orange County, Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire.

Job Description
Illumination Health + Home seeks a visionary, mission-driven, and results-oriented Chief Operating Officer (COO) to serve as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the COO is responsible for leading and optimizing the organization's operations in support of its mission to disrupt the cycle of homelessness through integrated healthcare, housing, and supportive services.

As the organization's senior operational executive, the COO translates strategic priorities into measurable outcomes, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, client-centered, and financially sustainable services across multiple counties and service lines. Working in close partnership with the CEO and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the COO drives operational excellence, organizational growth, performance improvement, and cross-functional alignment.

The COO provides executive oversight of housing, healthcare, and supportive service operations, ensuring programs operate efficiently, meet performance objectives, comply with regulatory and contractual requirements, and advance organizational impact.

Salary Range: $210,000–$230,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.

Key Responsibilities
Executive & Strategic Leadership
• Partner with the CEO to execute the organization's strategic vision, growth initiatives, and long-term priorities.
• Collaborate with the CEO, CFO, and Executive Leadership Team to align operational performance with organizational objectives and financial sustainability.
• Translate strategic plans into operational initiatives with measurable outcomes and accountability structures.
• Lead enterprise-wide implementation of strategic initiatives and organizational transformation efforts.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards to monitor organizational effectiveness and drive data-informed decision-making.
• Support the CEO in evaluating opportunities for organizational growth, partnerships, and expansion.

Operational Leadership
• Provide executive oversight of all operational functions across healthcare, housing, and supportive service programs.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery that advances organizational mission, values, and strategic goals.
• Standardize and optimize systems, workflows, and processes to improve efficiency, scalability, and client outcomes.
• Foster innovation and identify opportunities to expand impact and improve organizational sustainability.
• Drive a culture of accountability and continuous operational improvement throughout the organization.

Housing & Healthcare Operations
• Ensure seamless integration between healthcare, housing, behavioral health, shelter, recuperative care, and supportive service programs.
• Monitor operational performance, service outcomes, productivity measures, and quality indicators.
• Ensure compliance with contractual and regulatory expectations.
• Support development of innovative care delivery models that improve client outcomes and organizational effectiveness.
• Advance integrated care approaches that improve health outcomes and housing stability.

Leadership Development & Talent Management
• Directly supervise Vice Presidents and designated operational leaders.
• Build and maintain a high-performing leadership team through coaching, mentorship, accountability, and professional development.
• Lead succession planning efforts and strengthen organizational leadership capacity.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.

Financial Stewardship
• Partner closely with the CFO to align operational strategy with financial goals and organizational sustainability.
• Collaborate on budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, workforce planning, and productivity management.
• Monitor operational performance against financial targets and identify opportunities for increased efficiency.
• Support long-term financial sustainability through strategic operational planning.

Compliance, Quality & Risk Management
• Collaborate with the CFO to support enterprise-wide quality improvement, compliance, and risk management initiatives.
• Support audit readiness, corrective action planning, and performance improvement activities.
• Promote a culture of quality, accountability, and transparency.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
• Strategic and systems thinking
• Operational excellence
• Executive presence and influence
• Financial and business acumen
• Strong organizational and operational judgment
• Data-driven decision making
• Change management expertise
• Relationship building and stakeholder engagement
• Exceptional communication skills
• Emotional intelligence and servant leadership
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Passion for advancing Illumination Health + Home's mission

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
• Drive operational excellence across all service lines.
• Strengthen integration between healthcare and housing operations.
• Improve efficiency, effectiveness, and client outcomes.
• Build and develop a high-performing leadership team.
• Successfully execute strategic priorities and organizational growth initiatives.
• Strengthen accountability through measurable performance metrics.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, contractual, quality, and accreditation standards.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Preferred Experience/Minimum Qualifications
Education
• Master's degree preferred in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, Nursing, Social Work, or a related field.

Experience
• Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success leading large, complex healthcare, nonprofit, housing, behavioral health, or human services organizations.
• Experience overseeing multi-site operations, large teams, and diverse funding streams.
• Proven track record of operational transformation, organizational growth, and performance improvement.
• Strong knowledge of Medicaid, CalAIM, managed care, healthcare operations, homeless services, housing systems, and regulatory environments preferred.
• Experience working with executive leadership.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance funded up to 91% by Illumination Health + Home (Kaiser and Blue Shield), depending on the plan
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Life, AD&D and LTD Insurance funded 100% by Illumination Foundation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Professional Development Reimbursement
• 401K with Company Matching
• 15 days' vacation PTO/year
• 6 days sick PTO/year
• 10 days holiday PTO/year
• Potential eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSFL) for federally qualified loans
• Tutoring Services for school aged dependents
• Car Allowance

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Illumination Health + Home is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

WHY JOIN ILLUMINATION HEALTH + HOME
Join a growing, mission-driven organization transforming lives through integrated healthcare, housing, and supportive services. The COO will help shape strategy, strengthen operations, develop leaders, and expand organizational impact across Southern California.