Average Chief Operating Officer (COO) Salary

Job Description for Chief Operating Officer (COO)

A chief operating officer (COO) is usually the second-highest ranking executive in a corporation. The chief operating officer is in charge of executing daily operations for the company, and is second in responsibility only to the chief executive officer (CEO). The COO's job is to help set standards for the company and work with directors and middle managers to ensure that processes, training, and quality of output of goods and services reflect these standards. They may receive constant data-based reports and overviews which include snapshots of revenues, efficiency, and even waste that can be acted upon to improve the company's performance.

As the second-in-command, the COO is also responsible for executing the company's overall vision, typically by upholding the CEO's mission statement and working with directors and operations managers to make that visualization a reality. The COO may focus on data related to productivity and revenue generation and make performance assessments based on this data, and these assessments may then be compared to prior weeks, months, or years.

Chief operating officers work with operations managers to ensure that optimal staffing levels are set throughout the company and all departments have sufficient resources and procedures for proper employee training. The COO may also work with analysts within the company to assess physical assets and how they can be maintained, repaired, or upgraded.

Most chief operating officers have strong educational backgrounds in business and management, typically with graduate degrees in the field. A COO will also need extensive practical experience, and many have previously served as a director or manager within a company. Those in this position work primarily in an office with a dedicated administrative staff. With so many potential direct reports throughout the corporation, they must be organized, dedicated, and willing to work long hours to achieve success. (Copyright 2019 PayScale.com)

• Direct the day to day operations of the organization.
• Improve operating procedures to increase profits and/or make the organization more efficient.
• Implement the strategies set by the Board of Directors and the CEO.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) Job Listings

Pay by Experience Level for Chief Operating Officer (COO)