Chief Operating Officer (COO)

The Opportunity

Our client is a category-defining custom product company operating at the intersection of emotional storytelling, precision manufacturing, and direct-to-consumer eCommerce.

They are hiring a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead execution across the organization, serve as the Integrator in the EOS operating system, and build a scalable, predictable operating engine that can support continued growth and complexity.

This role is ideal for a proven operator who thrives in complex environments, values clarity and accountability, and is motivated by building systems that last.

Role Overview

The COO is accountable for translating strategy into execution, aligning teams around clear priorities, and ensuring the business delivers consistently across operations, people, and performance.

The COO owns the day-to-day operating cadence of the company and removes the CEO as the execution bottleneck, while partnering closely with the CEO on priorities, tradeoffs, and long-term scale.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

● Own end-to-end execution across the business, including:

○ Custom art and design workflows

○ Manufacturing and vendor performance

○ Quality assurance, logistics, and fulfillment

○ Customer experience outcomes tied to operational execution, including end-to-end operational data accuracy across ordering, production readiness, logistics, and internal dashboards.

● Ensure orders are delivered accurately, on time, and at scale

● Lead exception management and resolution when issues arise

Financial & Commercial Accountability

● Own cost modeling and margin optimization, ensuring every product sold is delivered profitably.

● Accountable for the financial performance of business operations after a sale (cost of goods, logistics, remakes, etc.).

● Own Returns/Remake total Dollars initiatives as a key driver of profitability.
● Partner closely with the VP of Marketing on price/margin alignment.

● Partner closely with the CFO to ensure accurate cost visibility, operational financial discipline, and compliance.

Planning, Capacity & Scalability

● Forecast demand and operational load across seasons

● Translate forecasts into staffing, production, and logistics plans

● Prepare the organization for peak periods without last-minute heroics
● Build buffers, contingency plans, and clear escalation paths

● Communicate with and prepare vendors for peak seasons

EOS Integrator & Operating Cadence

● Serve as the Integrator in the EOS operating system

● Run the weekly Level 10 meeting

● Own the Scorecard, Rocks, and To-Do discipline

● Drive issue identification, prioritization, and resolution

● Hold leaders accountable to commitments and outcomes

Systems & Process Excellence

● Document, standardize, and continuously improve core processes

● Eliminate founder-dependent workflows

● Ensure systems, tools, and data reflect operational reality

● Identify automation and tooling opportunities that increase leverage

● Own and govern cross-functional handoffs (Marketing → Tech → Ops → Manufacturing → CX) to ensure clarity, speed, and zero data loss.

Leadership & Accountability

● Lead and align department heads around clear goals and metrics

● Create clarity around ownership and decision rights

● Develop leaders and surface talent gaps

● Recommend organizational and structural improvements to the CEO

Leadership Style & Traits

● High ownership, low ego

● Data-driven, structured, and decisive

● Comfortable holding peers accountable

● Confident pushing back when priorities are at risk

● Calm under pressure and ambiguity

● Motivated by building clarity, not seeking visibility

Success Measures

● CM1% & CM2%

● Cost to Produce & Ship per Order

● Order-to-Ship Lead Time

● Return Rate AND vs. Remake Split

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience

● 8-15 years of senior operations leadership experience

● Background in custom manufacturing, DTC, or complex supply chain environments
● Proven ability to scale teams, systems, and processes

● Experience operating in EOS (Integrator experience strongly preferred)

Why Join the company

Our client serves customers during moments that matter deeply. Operational excellence is not just a business requirement - it is a trust obligation.

This role offers the opportunity to:

● Build a world-class operating system

● Partner with an Entrepreneurial CEO that held the COO seat previously
● Take meaningful ownership of execution and outcomes

● As the operating system matures and leadership depth increases, this role has a clear path to President with expanded P&L ownership