Chief of Staff to the COO

Role Overview

Chief of Staff to the COO partnering directly with the COO as a senior strategic operator to translate company strategy into operational execution. You will bring clarity, build the operating rhythm, and enable the COO to focus on the highest-leverage decisions.

Key Outcomes

• Trusted extension of the COO: anticipate information needs, pressure-test decisions, and create high-quality briefings across the budget cycle, policy topics, and top strategic initiatives.
• Own the operating rhythm: build and maintain cadence for COO and Ops leadership—from weekly rhythms to annual planning.
• Credible proxy: represent the COO in cross-functional settings; facilitate executive meetings and offsites; maintain momentum when the COO is unavailable.
• Drive operational excellence: audit and improve processes across the Ops function to ensure consistent, rigorous execution against agreed plans.

Core Competencies

• Strategic judgment: connect short-term execution to long-term goals; make sound decisions across complex, competing priorities.
• Operational leadership & execution: design and run systems/processes that keep the COO’s office and Ops functioning at a high standard.
• Executive communication & influence: strong writing and communication; distill complexity into clear materials that enable decisions; influence senior stakeholders without formal authority.
• Relationship building & cross-functional collaboration: earn credibility quickly and align leaders across departments.
• AI curiosity: enthusiastic about AI and how it can change organizational operations; quick to learn new tools.

Requirements / Target Experience

• 7–10+ years in operational, strategy, or Chief of Staff roles in a fast-moving tech or mission-driven organization.
• Demonstrated success partnering with a COO/CEO or C-suite executive.
• Prior experience as Chief of Staff, Head of Operations, or Strategy/Operations lead.
• Background in at least some Ops function areas such as finance, people, or legal (not just general consulting/project management).
• Excited by and willing to explore AI-enabled operating leverage.