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COO Job Description

A COO (Chief Operating Officer) is the senior executive responsible for running the company's day-to-day operations and turning strategy into repeatable, scalable execution.

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COO job description

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About the role

We are hiring a COO to translate strategy into flawless execution across the business. You will own operations, drive the metrics that matter, and build the systems and teams that let the company scale without breaking. This role suits a hands-on operator who thrives on turning ambitious plans into predictable delivery and who partners closely with the CEO on the how behind the what.

Key responsibilities

  • Own day-to-day operations across the company
  • Turn company strategy into executable operating plans
  • Build scalable systems, processes, and teams

Day-to-day responsibilities

  • Run daily operations across functions such as delivery, support, and back office
  • Translate company strategy into quarterly operating plans and clear owners
  • Define and track the operational KPIs that signal business health
  • Build repeatable processes and systems that let the company scale efficiently
  • Lead and develop department heads and hold teams accountable to targets
  • Partner with the CEO on resource allocation and cross-functional priorities
  • Identify operational bottlenecks and drive initiatives to remove them
  • Oversee budgets, vendor relationships, and cost efficiency across departments
  • Establish the cadence of business reviews and reporting for leadership
  • Ensure hiring, onboarding, and capacity keep pace with growth plans

Requirements

  • 12 or more years of experience, including senior operations or general management leadership
  • Bachelor's degree required; an MBA or advanced degree is often preferred
  • A track record of scaling operations and building cross-functional teams
  • Strong command of operational metrics, budgeting, and process design
  • Experience partnering directly with a CEO or founder on execution

Skills

Must have

Operations managementProcess designCross-functional leadershipKPI ownershipBudgetingTeam buildingExecution focus

Nice to have

Change managementSystems implementationSupply chainLean / Six Sigma

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FAQ

Questions about the COO job description

A COO runs the day-to-day operations of a company and turns strategy into execution. They own operational metrics, build the processes and teams needed to scale, and remove bottlenecks across departments. Where the CEO focuses on the what and why, the COO usually owns the how.

The core duties are running operations, translating strategy into operating plans, and owning the KPIs that reflect business health. COOs also build scalable systems, lead department heads, and manage budgets and vendors. Much of the role is creating the operating rhythm that keeps a growing company on track.

A COO needs strong operational and process design skills alongside the leadership to hold large teams accountable. Financial fluency and comfort with metrics are essential, as is the ability to prioritize ruthlessly. The best COOs pair execution discipline with the judgment to know which fires to fight.

A COO job description should define the operational mandate, the functions the role oversees, and how it partners with the CEO. It should list responsibilities across execution, metrics, and team building, plus the required leadership experience. Reflecting the company's stage and the scope of operations makes expectations clear.

A COO works most closely with the CEO and the wider executive team, and directly leads department heads across operations. They partner with finance on budgets and with HR on hiring and capacity. Externally they often manage key vendors and operational partners.

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