When it comes to what an operations director does, there are 7 main variations of this role:
Executor. His main function is to carry out the instructions of the board of directors. He is an intermediate link between the company's management and mid-level specialists. He may have a deputy director for operations, to whom part of the work on interaction with personnel is delegated.
Change Agent. This role can be either temporary or permanent. The job of the COO in this role is to make changes to the existing business strategy in order to improve it.
Mentor. This role is purely temporary. Management hires a specialist with extensive experience in this area to analyze the company's activities and propose qualitative changes to the current business strategy.
The Trustee. This COO plays homeowner database an important role complementing the CEO. The goal is to balance the work of the boss. This position usually opens when there is an impulsive visionary at the helm of the organization.
Partner. His job includes performing typical COO tasks, but the company's CEO shares some key functions with him. This position is needed by managers who are physically unable to cover all areas of their organization's activities and need a reliable business partner.
Roles of the COO in the company
Successor. This position is for someone who will definitely take over the company's CEO position after the current CEO leaves. Quite often, these are the CEO's closest relatives or best friends. The successor must fully immerse themselves in the company's operations while learning the CEO's responsibilities.
Valuable employee. A specialist who works well, has excellent recommendations, and therefore can apply for a high position. This could be a deputy director for operational management or the head of this area himself. He is highly valued for his analytical mind, creativity, and desire for development.
The final role that the COO will play is impossible to predict. It all depends on the goals and size of the company. In most cases, this is an executor responsible for implementing the ideas of the company's top management.
Stages of hiring a COO
The whole process can be divided into 4 steps. Let's dwell on each of the stages in more detail and consider the nuances of the work being carried out.