Chief Operating Officer - AI Adoption

About the Role

This Chief Operating Officer (COO) position is with a firm specializing in AI adoption and consulting, focusing on assisting mid-market and enterprise clients in effectively integrating AI into their operations by building strong internal capabilities rather than just deploying tools.

The COO reports directly to the Founder/CEO and is responsible for overseeing the company's internal operations including client delivery, sales, AI tooling, staffing, and financial performance, allowing the founder to concentrate on external growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full accountability for client engagements ensuring projects complete on time, within budget, and achieve measurable client outcomes, with client retention as a primary performance metric.
• Provide direct supervision and coaching to the sales team, maintain a clean sales pipeline, and ensure smooth transition from initial contact to contract signing.
• Manage a hybrid team of human employees and AI software agents, including maintaining and enhancing AI systems that support calls, evaluations, and proposal preparations.
• Align delivery outcomes, pricing strategies, and sales activities to ensure feedback loops influence quotations and sales approaches effectively.
• Maintain rigorous business management routines including weekly metrics reviews, quarterly goal setting, margin tracking, and cash flow oversight.
• Develop staffing plans to anticipate demand in delivery and sales teams, coupled with a streamlined onboarding process for remote hires.
• Establish and adjust the collaboration framework with the founder and oversee leadership meetings and executive performance evaluations.

Performance Expectations in the First Year

• Secure client renewals backed by clear, demonstrable results.
• Ensure projects consistently close punctually without compromising profit margins.
• Maintain accurate forecasts aligned with actual performance.
• Relieve the founder from daily operational responsibilities.
• Innovate internal processes approximately every quarter by integrating AI agents to automate parts of workflows.

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual salary in the range of $250,000 to $300,000 plus bonus incentives.
• Opportunity for equity participation.
• 401(k) retirement plan available.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Flexible remote work environment.

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven recent practical experience using AI to address real operational challenges effectively.
• Background in managing delivery and operations within professional services such as agencies, consultancies, or managed services.
• Mastery of utilization rates, margin control, project scope management, and client escalation processes.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed teams in remote-first and asynchronous communication cultures.
• Proven ownership of profit and loss responsibilities and maintaining an ongoing operational cadence including scorecards and quarterly planning.
• Expertise in sales operations including pipeline management, coaching sales representatives, and quality control in deal transitions.
• Comfort functioning as a supportive second-in-command focused on team success rather than individual recognition.
• Highly detail-driven with the ability to balance urgency and disciplined processes in a fast-paced environment.