COO Job Description and Candidate Profile

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a senior executive responsible for translating strategic objectives into operational performance. This role is suitable for experienced operational leaders with a proven record of driving efficiency, leading large teams and delivering measurable outcomes across functions. Candidates should demonstrate strategic acumen, excellent stakeholder management and a commitment to continuous improvement.

COO Job Profile

The COO provides leadership for day to day operations and is accountable for operational strategy, process optimisation and performance management. The role focuses on ensuring efficient delivery of products and services, aligning resources to business priorities and maintaining robust governance and risk controls.

The postholder will partner with the CEO and executive team to convert growth plans into operational capability, build scalable processes and develop senior leaders. The role requires a balance of strategic thinking and hands on execution in a complex organisational context.

COO Job Description

The COO leads the operational agenda, driving initiatives that improve productivity, quality and customer outcomes. They oversee cross-functional delivery, set performance standards and introduce frameworks to monitor and report progress against strategic goals. The role involves regular engagement with executive stakeholders and board members to provide insight into operational performance and improvement opportunities.

Expectations include developing medium to long term operational plans, managing resource allocation and ensuring compliance with regulatory and governance requirements. The COO must embed a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, coaching senior managers and designing interventions to close performance gaps.

The role will often involve managing complex change programmes, overseeing business continuity arrangements and supporting mergers, acquisitions or scaling projects from an operational perspective. Clear communication, data driven decision making and the ability to prioritise competing demands are essential.

COO: Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and implement operational strategy aligned to the organisation's strategic objectives.
• Lead day to day operations across multiple functions and sites to ensure consistent delivery.
• Set and monitor key performance indicators to drive operational performance and accountability.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting and resource allocation to meet operational targets.
• Design and optimise processes to improve efficiency, quality and cost effectiveness.
• Lead, mentor and develop the senior operations team and build leadership capability.
• Ensure strong governance, risk management and regulatory compliance across operations.
• Manage operational aspects of strategic initiatives including growth, restructuring and integration.
• Coordinate cross-functional activity with finance, HR, IT and other teams to deliver priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement and change management to support transformation objectives.
• Oversee supplier and vendor relationships to ensure value and service levels are maintained.
• Implement business continuity and incident response planning to protect operations.
• Provide regular, concise reporting to the CEO and board on operational performance and risks.
• Champion customer service and operational standards to enhance customer outcomes and satisfaction.

COO: Requirements and Qualifications

• Significant senior operational experience, typically 10 or more years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record of delivering operational improvements at scale and managing complex programmes.
• Experience with P&L responsibility, budgeting and financial performance management.
• Strong strategic and analytical skills with the ability to translate data into action.
• Demonstrable experience of leading and developing senior teams and building organisational capability.
• Sound knowledge of governance, compliance and risk management in a regulated environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including board level reporting.
• Effective change management skills and experience of delivering business transformation.
• Degree level qualification in business, engineering or a related discipline or equivalent experience.
• High level of personal integrity, resilience and the ability to work in a fast paced environment.
• Practical experience of managing multi-site operations and coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Ability to prioritise, make timely decisions and drive results with limited supervision.