Typically reporting to the CEO, the COO is responsible for the daily operation of the company. As companies focus more on CEO succession planning while becoming larger and more complex, it is anticipated that there will be an increased utilization of the COO position. Oftentimes, the position is used as a training and testing ground for the next CEO. The role of the COO differs from industry to industry and from organization to organization. In the manufacturing sector, the primary role of the COO is routinely one of operations management, meaning that the COO is responsible for ensuring that business operations are efficient and effective and that the proper management of resources as well as distribution of goods and services to customers is conducted.
The COO typically holds overall responsibility for the company’s manufacturing, EH&S, supply chain, quality, sales, marketing and R&D operations. The Vice President of Operations or Operations Director often has a narrower scope of accountability with supply chain, sales, marketing and R&D being managed by other functional leaders. Requirements in these roles include functional expertise and experience as well as the critical leadership competencies required to “fit” within a company’s culture and effectively drive positive change and growth.
We conduct Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Operations searches with firms across a variety of industries including discrete and process manufacturing, information technology and services, as well as industrial services.
