Hiring a COO

Matt HR · May 2004

My firm has hired 20 people in the past 6 months, and we've just hit 50 people total. Management thinks it's time to hire a Chief Operating Officer so I'm beginning to search. I'm looking for guidance on what to look for in a COO candidate. Are there any sample executive resumes that anybody knows of? Are there any good guides out there that could help me in hiring executives for my small, but rapidly growing manufacturing firm?

Don D · May 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-14-04 AT 03:10PM (CST)[/font][br][br]My thoughts are that first you need to draw up an accurate organizational chart. Define reporting lines and populate the boxes with encumbents. The head of the organization and perhaps his/her two or three chief lieutenants should consider who they should report to. If the CEO does not want them reporting to him, that's about the only reason you'd need a COO. A COO exists for two reasons: Two reward somebody with a hefty raise and to shove a reporting box between people because the person at the top wants less span of control, if any at all.

If your process results in a decision to HAVE a COO, you should come up with a job description and precise responsibilities and authority level for the position. Then come up with position requirements. There's a lot to do before just launching out and hunting for a person to fill a title.

Rockie · May 2004

This is a very high level person to hire for an organization with only 50 employees. Most COOs make in the neighborhood of $100,000 starting salary. We didn't hire a COO until after we went over 300 employees and five locations.

If you need a person to filter operational issues through, I would suggest getting a lower level operations manager or someone of this calibre.

Also, this may make communications more cumbersome at your organization to have this extra layer of management at the top. You may want to reconsider whether you really need this position at this time.

HRchristineAZ · May 2004

First of all, go Huskers! (I'm a native Omahan). Anyway, our company has just over 125 employees, and we have six COO's. I recently was involved in hiring a COO for our marketing department. I agree with Don in that creating a job description is the first step if you decide you need a COO. We also hired a marketing consultant to help with the resume screening, interview and selection processes. I'm sure it was costly, but she was a huge help in helping us decide what we wanted in a candidate, and by helping us choose the best one! Good luck.

Pork · May 2004

WHOA MATT HR, The first step is identification of a need from an organizational point of view. I doubt the owner is really talking about a COO as others have said before me. Chief Operating Officer is just that the person responsible for the specific operations of a manufacturing plant. Several positions prior to jumping to that level could be Owner/President, Plant Manager and everyone working in the plant reports to this position. Over time and growth of the company and company plants there might be a General Manager to whom all operating plants would report. When the number of operating plants and functions diversify in support6 of the operational plants one starts to be looking at the the most senior or General Manager having CHIEF OPERATIONAL CONTROL over different functions and less interest in the production floor, thus moving to Chief Operating Officer and probably a few Vice Presidents reporting to this position for control and understanding of all of the administrative functions that probably is larger in size, numbers of people and concerns for the profit margins.

May I suggest you go to your supporting bank and seek out their HR to get a feeling for organization design. Banking operations have the greatest opportunities for upwardly mobile individuals than any other organization. If you have an University in the area seek a quick class on Organizational Structure and Design.

Your Association of Manufactors in your State might also be able to help you and give you some points of contact.

My PORK's worth take it or leave it!

PORK

Balloonman · May 2004

bump
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman

Don D · May 2004

Christine: How can you have Six Chief Operating Officers. Somebody's not a Chief if you have six of them calling the shots. Typically a COO is the guy/gal vice president's and department heads report to that allows the CEO to golf more.

HRchristineAZ · May 2004

When I got hired on I thought the org chart was a little strange as well. We have COO's for every department in our company - Marketing, Customer Service & Billing, Engineering, etc. Each COO has a manager that reports to them, and from there there is a supervisor, and so on. They all like to go golfing together. /:)

Don D · May 2004

No S***. They aren't COOs. They're just enjoying the corporate sugar-tit. :DD

HRchristineAZ · May 2004

I couldn't have said it better myself!

Hiring a COO

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