Chief Operating Officer { COO }

The COO or Chief Operating Officer is the second-highest C-suite executive ranked after CEO (Chief Executive Officer). COO is responsible for overseeing business operations, day-to-day administrative and operational functions that may include marketing and sales, human resources, research and development, production, and other functions.

The COO reports directly to the CEO and generally seven different types of COOs that are best suited for different situations and different companies. A COO needs to have strong analytical, managerial, communication, and leadership skills. The COO makes sure that the vision and mission set by the CEO and board of directors are converted into the actual strategic plan.

COOs are operations experts and thus are expected to be problem solvers. Some of their responsibilities include:

•  Selecting best talent and preparing employees for success
•  Ensure all departments are working towards collective long term goals
•  Improving operating procedures and the role technology plays to enhance performance and make the company run more efficiently
•  Implementing new strategies to meet short term and long term goals of the organization
•  Align employee goals with the company’s goals