Chief Operating Officer / Operations Lead

Compact Version

10 aug

**DETAILS**

**(m/v/x)**
**Organisation:** Elzéard Foundation
**Location:** Cross-border region.
Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany
**Employment:** Full-time position
**Salary:** Competitive salary, depending on experience
**Start:** To be discussed

Help build the operational framework for large-scale landscape restoration.

Elzéard Foundation is looking for a COO who wants to help build landscapes where nature, connected ecosystems, and regenerative land use find space to thrive once again. Elzéard brings together doers, thinkers, and dreamers around a single ambition: reconnecting landscapes so that plants and animals can move, disperse, and find a lasting place to live.

From the Cross-Border Region, we restore connections between fragmented nature areas, strengthen characterful cultural landscapes, and create space for regenerative agriculture and local economies. Not through quick fixes or treating nature as mere scenery, but by thoughtfully restoring what has become disconnected—allowing water, soil, vegetation, and wildlife to follow their natural dynamics once again. Together with people from the region, we build a living network of landscapes where species can migrate and life can thrive anew.
As COO, you connect people, projects, and processes. You create clarity, translate strategic priorities into action, and ensure that choices made on paper find their way to the field and daily practice. You build supportive structures that enable rather than restrict—always serving the living system we work for.
We are not looking for a traditional corporate manager, but an operational leader who understands that organizational structure serves the living ecosystem. Someone who brings clarity, cadence, and accountability while honouring Elzéard's ecological integrity, relational approach, and evolving nature.
What you bring
Extensive experience in operational leadership, team management, and organizational development.
A pragmatic, hands-on mindset paired with sharp strategic insight.
A talent for clarifying roles, workflow processes, and team collaboration.
Fluent communication skills in Dutch and English; French is a valuable asset.
A deep affinity for our mission of ecological restoration, regeneration, and long-term stewardship.
What you get
A pivotal role within a small, dedicated, and multidisciplinary core team, with direct influence on how Elzéard organizes and evolves. You will work closely with the founders and strategic leadership, with ample room to gradually assume an independent operational mandate.