Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Summary

Key Responsibilities

• Operational strategy: Translate CEO/board strategy into annual operating plans, OKRs, KPIs, and execution roadmaps.
• Cross-functional leadership: Coordinate product, engineering, sales, marketing, customer success, finance, HR, and operations to ensure aligned delivery.
• Process design & optimization: Standardize and continuously improve core processes (order-to-cash, product delivery, procurement, onboarding, support).
• Performance management: Define KPIs, build dashboards, run operational reviews, and hold teams accountable for outcomes.
• Scalability & capacity planning: Design operating models, forecast staffing needs, and implement organizational structures for growth.
• Program & project management: Lead critical programs (product launches, M&A integrations, global expansion) with clear timelines and risk mitigation.
• Talent & organization development: Partner with HR on recruiting, leadership development, succession planning, and culture.
• Technology & automation: Drive selection and adoption of ERP/CRM/BI/workflow tools and automation to reduce manual work and improve data quality.
• Financial ownership: Manage operational budgets, identify cost efficiencies, and partner with finance on forecasting and margin improvement.
• Customer operations & experience: Ensure excellent onboarding, support, retention, and escalation handling to maximize customer satisfaction.
• Vendor & partner management: Oversee strategic vendor relationships, SLAs, and outsourcing decisions for cost, quality, and risk.
• Risk & continuity: Ensure business continuity, incident management, operational controls, and regulatory/compliance embedding.
• Executive reporting: Communicate operational performance, risks, and resource needs to the CEO and board; act as second-in-command for operational decision-making.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, operations, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years in operations, general management, or functional leadership with progressive responsibility; prior COO, head of operations, or GM experience preferred.
• Functional breadth: Proven experience across multiple functions (product delivery, sales ops, customer success, finance/FP&A, HR).
• Operational excellence: Experience with process improvement methodologies (Lean/Six Sigma, OKRs), and building scalable operating models.
• Technology fluency: Comfortable with ERP/CRM/BI tools and leading digital transformation initiatives.
• Analytical & financial acumen: Strong data-driven decision-making, KPI design, and budget management skills.
• Leadership & communication: Strong executive presence, ability to influence cross-functionally, and experience managing senior leaders.
• Problem-solving & decisiveness: Ability to prioritize under ambiguity and make timely, high-stakes decisions.

Performance Metrics And Kpis (Examples)

• On-time delivery and project completion rates.
• Operational cost as a percentage of revenue and cost-per-customer.
• Customer metrics: NPS/CSAT, churn/retention, time-to-onboard.
• Process metrics: cycle times (order-to-cash, onboarding), error rates, and automation savings.
• Forecast accuracy, budget variance, and headcount efficiency.
• Employee engagement and leadership bench strength.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent