Chief operating officer (COO) job description

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Job description

What does a chief operating officer do?

The chief operating officer (COO) of a company is second in command, reporting to the chief executive officer (CEO). While a CEO is concerned with long-term business goals, the COO is focused more on implementing company strategies into daily operations to meet objectives. Chief operating officer responsibilities and salary will vary depending on the company, and the role is often influenced by the CEO’s personal management style. It’s important for the CEO and COO to be efficient collaborators and work in tandem to steward the company with the best leadership.

To attract and retain an ideal chief operation officer for your company, create a detailed job description. You can use the template below as a starting point and tailor it to your individual needs.

How to write a chief operating officer job description

Think about the typical chief operating officer (COO): busy, driven to meet objectives, and practical to a T. As such, your COO job description should be brief, specific, and realistic. Start by introducing your company, then outline expectations for the COO. Once you’ve painted a picture of the work environment, clearly spell out the objectives, responsibilities, and qualifications for the role. Set the bar high because you’ll likely get more high-quality candidates that way. A strong COO job description conveys the day-to-day and long-term impacts of the role and avoids excessive detail and empty jargon.

Chief operating officer job description template

This sample job post will introduce your organization’s culture and values, while helping potential candidates understand how they’ll contribute from Day 1.

Sample chief operating officer job description

[Company X] is a growing company, and we need someone to be the right-hand person to our CEO. We're searching for a chief operating officer (COO) who has strong leadership skills and the ability to approach business with a creative point of view. The COO will lead our team of high-performing professionals to be efficient, productive, and effective. The ideal candidate has extensive experience within our industry, preferably having worked their way up to an executive role. We believe this trajectory helps a person develop a unique mix of business and management expertise, plus proficiency with the practices, policies, and procedures of our industry.

Objectives of this role

Collaborate with CEO in setting and driving organizational vision, operations strategy, and hiring levels
Translate strategy into actionable steps for growth, implementing organization-wide goal setting, performance management, and annual operations planning
Oversee company operations and employee productivity, building a highly inclusive culture that ensures team members can thrive and that organizational goals are met
Ensure effective recruiting, onboarding, professional development, performance management, and retention
Ensure compliance with national and local business regulations, and take appropriate action when necessary

Responsibilities

Analyze internal operations and identify areas for process enhancement
Implement business strategies and plans that align with the short- and long-term objectives developed in tandem with CEO
Oversee operations, HR, and accounting, and partner with CEO in sales management so that sufficient investment capital can be budgeted for near-term growth targets
Manage capital investments and expenses aggressively to ensure that the company achieves investor targets for growth and profitability
Monitor performance with tracking software and take corrective measures when necessary, and prepare detailed updates and forecasts
Build and maintain trusting relationships with key customers, clients, partners, and stakeholders