Chief Operating Officer

Overview

A growing local distribution business in the greater Washington, DC / Central Maryland region is looking for a senior executive to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO) / Chief Experience Officer (CXO). This position is built around improving operating performance, creating room for scalable growth, and strengthening digital capability across the organization. The selected leader will carry full responsibility for daily operations and for the quality of customer delivery.

This executive role brings together operations, customer experience, and technology. It places strong emphasis on distribution execution and growth supported by ecommerce.

Role focus

The COO/CXO will oversee the full operational flow from customer order intake through fulfillment, supply chain coordination, and technology enablement. The goal is to improve efficiency, protect profitability, and build systems that can scale while delivering a strong experience across both traditional and digital customer channels.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the entire operating cycle, including order handling, warehousing, fulfillment, logistics, and support after the sale.
• Create and execute operating plans that support higher revenue, better margins, and long-term scalability.
• Improve the order-to-cash process so customers receive faster, more accurate, and more transparent service.
• Manage supply chain performance, including supplier coordination, inventory control, and drop-ship processes.
• Work closely with Sales leadership to ensure operations support a practical and customer-focused market strategy.
• Lead ecommerce growth and digital modernization efforts, including self-service tools, punchout integrations, and digital order workflows.
• Oversee the rollout and optimization of key systems such as ERP, CRM, ecommerce platforms, and AI-enabled tools to support efficient, insight-driven operations.
• Develop the infrastructure, processes, and KPIs needed for a high-growth distribution environment.
• Put in place strong reporting, measurement, and performance management discipline across the operation.
• Build and coach effective teams across operations, customer service, and supply chain.
• Manage operating budgets, control costs, and plan resources with clear attention to profit-and-loss impact.

Candidate profile

The ideal leader brings deep senior-level experience in distribution, supply chain, or industrial/B2B settings. They should have already held a role such as COO, CXO, VP of Operations, or another position with broad operational accountability.

Success in this position requires strong command of order management, fulfillment, logistics, and supplier networks, including hybrid and drop-ship models. The right candidate will also have experience scaling operating structures in a fast-growing business and a solid background in ecommerce and digital enablement within distribution.

Experience leading ERP, CRM, and broader systems transformation programs is important, along with financial discipline, strong P&L ownership, and a data-driven approach to continuous improvement. A collaborative leadership style is essential, especially when aligning sales, operations, and technology teams around shared objectives.

Additional information

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for someone who can combine operational excellence, customer-first thinking, and digital innovation to strengthen the overall customer experience in a growing distribution company.