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 Taunton
Taunton has a long history and features particularly heavily in Britain’s religious past, with a monastery being located there in the tenth century. The town is still home to some of the most impressive churches in the UK, particularly the Church of St James, which dates back to the 14th century and has a 34 metre high tower which overlooks the Somerset county cricket ground. Taunton is the county town and administrative centre, and this accounts for a good proportion of its employment.
The town of Taunton is located towards the south west of Somerset, and is joined to Exeter and Bristol by the M5 Motorway. Thirteen miles (21 km) to the north is the Bristol Channel, and 23 miles (37 km) to the south is the English Channel. The railway that passes through the town loosely mirrors the motorway route, and the Western Union Canal linked Taunton in 1839.
Taunton is a relatively affluent town, and it is currently undergoing a major regeneration programme. There is some manufacturing and other light industry in the town, although it is mainly a service-based economy. Thee facts, along with good communications by road and rail make the town a reasonably good place to seek Chief Operations Officer work.
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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