Chief Operations Officer
The chief operations officer (COO) of a business occupies the second tier below the CEO and/or chairperson, which means that they have incredible influence and responsibility in the company, especially if it’s a large one. It’s an executive position, serving on the board, but the specific responsibilities vary from business to business and sector to sector.
There’s usually just one chief operations officer in a production and operations company, but they will usually be on a par with other executives such as finance, marketing, innovation or specific disciplines that are unique to the company. What makes the COO different is that their role will be to oversee the actual workings of the business, from sourcing resources to manufacture, design and delivery. Needless to say, they’ll have a dedicated team and possibly several layers of management between themselves and the shop floor, but as far as the core operations of the business are concerned, the buck stops with the COO.
In short, their responsibility is to ensure the decisions made by the CEO or chair (or other body depending on the structure of the company) are implemented within the boundaries set by the other executives.
The skills required
Chief operations officer jobs are usually filled by people who are already at the top of their game in the businesses they currently work in, and will be senior persons with highly impressive CVs and track records of delivering successfully wherever they have worked. If you’ve overseen the implementation of complex operations systems that have delivered on corporate goals for your previous employers, there will always be COO jobs with your name on them.
At this level, you’ll also be well connected in your industry and in the wider business world, as you’ll often need to draw on those connections to get things done. You’ll be excellent at communicating the often complicated plans and aims of the company to your subordinates, who may themselves occupy executive positions, while remaining on the ball and able to deeply monitor progress to steer projects in the right direction.
Chief Operations Officer Jobs in Mansfield
Situated roughly half way between Sheffield and Nottingham, Mansfield is a town with a history of being a market town and the centre of a thriving mining industry. The town has forests in almost every direction outside its borders, and was in times gone by a favourite stopping place for royals on their hunting excursions. On the map Mansfield bears all the hallmarks of a market town, with several major roads emerging to connect the surrounding farms and villages. Nowadays the M1 passes the town’s west, and railways connect it to Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester.
The town gained notoriety among other mining communities when its mines did not take part in the bitter miners’ strike in the 1980s. However the move was not to prove a long-term saviour of the industry, as today no mines survive. Mansfield was, not surprisingly, home to the famous Mansfield Brewery, but it was taken over in 1999 and production ceased on the site. Mansfield is now a fairly typical post-industrial town, with the service sector and some light industry taking prominence.
The town was the centre of the swimming universe in 2008, however, when local girl Rebecca Adlington won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle races. At the time of writing, after London 2012, her 800 m record of 8:14.10 still stands as the world and Olympic record.
The Mansfield urban area is quite large, with a population of around 150,000, which in itself makes it a decent candidate if you’re looking for Chief Operations Officer jobs. The town also benefits from several large cities and towns within half an hour, so anyone willing to commute will stand an even greater chance of success.
Popular locations
COO jobs are needed now
Companies are always looking for executive level talent to come in and manage radical changes or oversee efficiency drives. These are quite often on an interim or short-term contractual basis, but other times you’ll be steering a company for many years. If you’re an experienced COO and are used to working at this level of pressure and responsibility, please register your details with us by clicking the link below.
If you’re running a business and are looking for a talented chief operations office, please call Cast UK today on 0333 121 3345 and speak to one of our consultants. We only deal with professional level talent, and we’re sure to be able to bring you a superb shortlist.
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