Hiring a Game Changing Chief Operating Officer
The Chief Operating Officer is often the operational heartbeat of an organisation. The leader who turns strategic vision into tangible results. In a competitive and complex environment, hiring the right COO can mean the difference between operational excellence and costly inefficiencies. Whether driving day-to-day performance, scaling operations, leading transformation, or aligning people, process and technology, the COO plays a critical role in achieving growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
The challenges of hiring a Chief Operating Officer
Many organisations underestimate the complexity of this appointment. Common pitfalls include:
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Unclear scope of role – COO responsibilities vary widely, from pure operational delivery to transformation and strategy, so a one-size-fits-all approach can fail.
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Misaligned leadership styles – A COO must complement, not compete with, the CEO’s leadership approach.
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Over-indexing on technical expertise – Operational mastery alone isn’t enough without strong commercial acumen and leadership presence.
Recruiting an Effective COO
At Douglas Jackson, we specialise in executive search for Chief Operating Officers and senior operational leaders across regulated and customer-led sectors, including Utilities, Housing, Insurance, Banking, Financial Services, Technology, SaaS, Retail, Travel and BPO.
We know the most successful COOs are not just operational experts, but leaders who can anticipate change, optimise resources, and galvanise teams around ambitious goals, all while navigating the challenges of an ever-shifting market.
Two essential tips for hiring a successful COO:
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Define the relationship with the CEO from the start. The CEO - COO dynamic is one of the most important success factors in the role.
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Look for balance, not duplication. A great COO complements the leadership team’s strengths, fills capability gaps, and ensures execution matches ambition.
With over two decades of experience in executive search for senior operational leadership, Douglas Jackson is the trusted search partner for organisations seeking operational leaders who perform, scale, and create lasting impact. Whether your focus is transformation, growth, efficiency, or customer delivery, we’ll help you hire the COO your business needs to succeed.
Not yet sure whether you need a Chief Transformation Officer, or a change of COO? Discover how to recruit a Chief Transformation Officer who can deliver transformative change.
Planning and Insight
Customer and Operations
Transformation and Change
COO Recruitment Consultants and Executive Search Firm
Schedule a no obligation meeting to discuss more about how best to hire a Director of Operations or COO
Chief Operation Officer Case Studies
Take a look at some of our recent Case Studies:
- A Customer Operations Director for a large Utilities business
- A COO Designate for a Scaling Business Services Outsourcer.
- Chief Operating Officer Search for a Insurance and Legal Claims Services business.
- An Operations Director for a mid sized Housing Association.
If you are considering appointing your next COO, Our proven approach to Chief Operating Officer recruitment means, we go beyond the CV to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment, and leadership capability. We work closely with boards and CEOs to define what great looks like for their organisation, ensuring we identify and attract high-impact COOs who deliver results and stay the course.
