Okay, I've searched for COO roles in the education services industry within the United States, full-time, requiring 7+ years of experience, and offering 401(k) benefits. I have found 52 positions for you.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

The COO-FACTS role at Nelnet Business Services is fundamentally designed to be the operational linchpin for the FACTS Ed Services division, ensuring synergy between academic programs and business operations. This position is critical for translating strategic OKRs into measurable, operational outcomes while fostering collaboration across varied functional teams including sales, accounting, and marketing. The candidate must manage complex organizational processes spanning geographically and programmatically diverse education services funded by ESSA and Head Start, prominently within New York City and Puerto Rico. Success in this role means consistently delivering operational excellence by streamlining processes, maintaining financial discipline, and enhancing stakeholder engagement—from internal teams to external education agencies and schools. The high degree of cross-functional coordination required reflects Nelson’s integrated, mission-driven environment, demanding a leader skilled in balancing long-term strategy with nimble, day-to-day problem-solving. Core qualifications like advanced degrees and proven operational management experience ensure the COO can handle the diverse educational regulatory landscapes and sophisticated financial planning that underpin this role. The need for strong analytical prowess, communication, and leadership skills highlights that the COO must operate confidently at both the granular process level and in broader organizational dialogue to meet aggressive objectives and foster continual improvement.

Company Analysis:

Nelnet is an innovative, multi-faceted organization rooted in financial technology and education services, balancing a legacy as a leading student loan servicer with an expanding footprint in payment tech and education management solutions. Its market presence is both stable and growth-oriented, serving thousands of educational institutions across a vast geographic and service spectrum. This positions the company as a purposeful innovator rather than a traditional education services firm, emphasizing technology-driven, scalable solutions. Nelnet's culture appears to value community, inclusion, and servant leadership—evident in their commitments to equal opportunity, employee wellness, and strong benefits. For the COO-FACTS role, this company culture implies working in an environment that expects collaboration, accountability, and responsiveness to a diverse set of stakeholders. The role sits within a complex organizational matrix requiring close engagement with multiple internal departments and external educational agencies, providing high visibility and potential influence over strategic direction. Strategically, the COO-FACTS is a critical hire designed to unify and empower the education services division to achieve growth and operational maturity, aligning with Nelnet’s overall mission to create opportunity through innovative education solutions. Candidates who thrive here will embrace both rigorous operational management and a mission-driven mindset focused on impact and continuous innovation.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you had to lead a cross-functional team to achieve a challenging operational goal. How did you ensure collaboration and alignment?
• Behavioral: Describe an experience where you balanced long-term strategic planning with urgent day-to-day operational demands. How did you prioritize and manage your time?
• Behavioral: Can you share an example of when you identified and resolved a misalignment between academic services and business operations?
• Behavioral: Tell me about a time you had to manage stakeholder expectations across different departments or external organizations. How did you communicate complex information effectively?
• Technical: How would you approach developing and monitoring OKRs across multiple departments to ensure alignment with broader strategic goals?
• Technical: Explain your experience managing budgets and financial forecasts within an education services or similar operational environment. What tools or processes did you use?
• Technical: Discuss how you have implemented process improvements in operational workflows. What metrics did you track to evaluate success?
• Technical: Describe your familiarity with regulations such as ESSA and Head Start, and how these have influenced your operational management in past roles.
• Situational: Imagine you discover that one of the key academic service teams is consistently missing performance targets. How would you investigate and address this issue?
• Situational: You are asked to facilitate a cross-departmental meeting where conflicting priorities are causing friction. How would you mediate to drive consensus?
• Situational: If given limited financial resources but high expectations to grow education services in a new region like Puerto Rico, how would you prioritize initiatives and allocate resources?
• Company Fit: Why are you drawn to Nelnet and specifically the COO-FACTS role over other operational leadership positions you might pursue?
• Company Fit: How do your personal values align with Nelnet’s mission to create opportunity where people live, learn, and work?
• Company Fit: What interests you most about working in the intersection of education, technology, and operational leadership within a mission-driven company?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does Nelnet measure success for the COO-FACTS role in the first 6 to 12 months? What are the biggest challenges currently facing the division?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does FACTS Ed Services collaborate with other Nelnet divisions like marketing and accounting to drive innovation and operational efficiency?
• Questions for Interviewer: Can you describe the culture within FACTS Ed Services and what leadership styles have been most effective in this team?