Chief Operating Officer

Our client, a consumer lender with over $1B in assets, is adding a Chief Operating Officer to their executive team. This role is responsible for providing leadership, vision, and management of the company’s day-to-day operations. This position ensures efficient, cost-effective, and customer-focused operations across all departments while aligning operational performance with organizational strategy. The COO partners with executive leadership to drive innovation, efficiency, compliance, and sustainable growth.

Essential Functions

• Plan, direct, and oversee company operations, ensuring the effective implementation of strategic goals and efficient business systems.
• Develop and execute operational strategies for facilities, technology, and logistics.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to establish and achieve company goals while providing guidance on operations projects, systems, and long-term planning.
• Identify and implement process improvements, technologies, and best practices that enhance efficiency, scalability, and customer experience.
• Establish, communicate, and enforce operations-related policies, standards, and security measures to ensure compliance and consistency.
• Partner with department leaders to ensure operational alignment with corporate objectives and the strategic plan.
• Oversee performance metrics and reporting to measure operational success and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that drive organizational excellence and employee engagement.
• Supervise and support the Information Technology and Project Management departments, ensuring alignment with company needs and goals.
• Develop and maintain business continuity, safety, and risk management programs to ensure operational stability.
• Prepare and monitor departmental budgets, optimizing resource allocation to achieve operational and strategic objectives.
• Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, set priorities, and conduct performance evaluations.
• Serve as Corporate Records Officer, ensuring compliance with records management and offsite storage programs in coordination with IT and Internal Audit.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and operational excellence.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory/Manager Responsibility

• Supervises IT and Facilities staff including hiring, training and monitoring attendance.
• Oversees performance management, setting and monitoring performance goals, conducting annual performance reviews and making recommendations for merit increases.
• Mentors and guides direct reports to support their professional development and performance.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Ten (10) years of progressive experience in operations leadership, with a strong focus on technology, project management, and organizational effectiveness, preferably in a financial services or related industry.
• Five (5) years of experience managing cross-functional teams and large-scale projects.
• Experience in regulated industries and understanding of compliance requirements strongly preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates core values of respect, integrity, great service, high value for employees and customers, transparency and teamwork, through actions and behaviors.
• Excellent leadership and coaching abilities; promotes positive team culture and professional development.
• Ability to maintain a growth mind-set, manage strategically and think innovatively.
• Consistently demonstrates and holds oneself accountable to the ethics and values of the organization, understanding that leading by example is critical in leading an organization.
• Strong ability to coach and mentor others in a positive and productive manner and provide feedback for improvement.
• Ability to make sound decisions when establishing and executing policies, procedures and goals.
• Ability to deal effectively and cooperatively with all levels of staff, as well as internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain a complex departmental budget.
• Strong ability to establish annual goals and hold oneself accountable for results.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing with all levels of management, staff and internal/external stakeholders.
• Sound interpersonal skills with the desire to build mutually beneficial relationships internally and externally.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and time management skills with a proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality
• Ability to accept accountability for decisions, actions and results.
• Ability to work harmoniously as a reliable team member.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with operational and data management systems.