What Does a Chief Operating Officer Do?

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a senior executive responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of a company. This person is typically second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the CEO. The COO is responsible for managing and managing the day-to-day business operations of the company, working closely with department heads and supervisors to support the daily activity of employees. They are also expected to have extensive management experience, although the amount of experience may vary by company and industry.

The COO role is a key member of the senior management team, which only reports to the Executive Director (CEO). They are responsible for implementing complex systems and managing business relationships with company partners and staff. This includes delegating production, marketing and sales tasks to core teams while maintaining relationships with business partners, suppliers and distributors. Good COs must have a high level of business acumen, organizational skills and interpersonal capacity in order to do their job effectively.

They must also be able to guide a company's workflow strategy and the organization of all essential business processes. Most companies want their chief operating officers to have a minimum of 5 years of management experience, but preferably more. Writing an effective COO job description that inspires top talent to apply and provides realistic expectations of what the position entails is a good start. Use this job description to create an offer that attracts the most qualified candidates, customizing it with your specific job obligations and requirements.