What Is a Chief Operations Officer?

While many people are familiar with other high-level business executive titles, they are lost on the definition of a chief operations officer. The chief operations officer’s definition involves a high-ranking executive in a business or other organization.

Other Names for Chief Operations Officer

In general, the chief operations officer is considered a business executive. Someone in the role of a chief operations officer may also be known as a chief operating officer. Like a chief executive officer who’s referred to as a CEO, people refer to a chief operations officer as a COO. Chief operations officers are referred to as C-level executives or C-suite executives, with the C standing for “chief.” 

Duty of Chief Operations Officer Examples

Most people are unaware of the role that a chief operations officer plays in a company. Familiarizing yourself with the typical duties and responsibilities of a chief operations officer can help you understand whether you truly need this role to exist in your own business. Chief operating officers are typically hired to:

• Carry out the CEO’s business strategies
• Lead an initiative
• Provide the CEO with a partner
• Balance the strengths and weaknesses of the CEO
• Have a successor in place in the event the CEO steps down or becomes unavailable

The key to having a great COO that helps a business function is the relationship between the CEO and COO. Both parties must work well together and maintain a high level of trust. Although the role of a chief operations officer seems general, having a great chief operations officer can help a business soar. 

Chief Operations Officer Benefits

Enlisting the assistance of the right chief operations officer has its benefits for many businesses, especially those that are operations intensive. A CEO essentially hires a COO to act in a role similar to that of a vice president. This means that the CEO has a lesser burden of responsibility. Chief operations officer advantages do not stop there. A chief operations officer benefits a company by providing flexibility. In other words, a COO is an executive that can wear multiple hats and stand-in for other business executives when necessary to keep the company operating smoothly. 

Other Business Executive Examples

Chief operations officers play an integral role in the success of a business. But there are other C-level executives in most companies, including:

• Chief Executive Officer: Handles and oversees all business operations and decisions while remaining responsible for the success of the business
• Chief Operations Officer: Is responsible for executing the business plans and strategies of the CEO while acting as second-in-command to the CEO
• Chief Financial Officer: Is responsible for all of a company’s finances including, strategy, planning, and risk analysis
• Chief Technology Officer: Oversees the implementation of new systems, data storage, and infrastructure
• Chief Marketing Officer: Is responsible for generating and executing effective marketing strategies
• Chief Human Resource Officer: Oversees the management of people within the business including, hiring, training, promoting, and evaluating

Not every company needs an entire board of C-suite executives. In the case of a small business, you are more likely to have just a CEO to begin your business. However, adding these key players can be essential for the expansion and long-term success of a business. 

Summary

The definition of a chief operations officer (COO) is a C-level executive of a business or organization. The COO plays the role of vice president to the CEO and oversees all business operations.