Job Description

Job Advertisement: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Overview

We are a dynamic and rapidly growing regional professional services firm. With a strong presence across the North of England , we have achieved significant growth through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.

This is a pivotal role, reporting directly to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, where you will drive operational excellence, support partner performance, and foster a unified culture across our expanding network of offices. The role is based in Yorkshire and will require regular travel across our regional offices.

ResponsibilitiesOperational Excellence

• Enhance productivity, utilisation, and recoveries while maintaining exceptional service quality.
• Align operational capacity with client demand and new business pipelines.
• Standardise and optimise operational processes across key functions, including accounts, tax, audit, payroll, client onboarding, and query management.
• Lead automation and process improvement initiatives to drive efficiency.

Financial Performance

• Collaborate with partners to achieve revenue and profitability targets across all offices.
• Monitor and improve fee earner utilisation, recovery rates, and cost management.
• Conduct regular on-site visits and operational reviews, implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure disciplined financial and operational accountability across the group.

Cultural Integration

• Embed the organisation’s values, behaviours, and service principles across newly acquired firms.
• Foster a unified "one firm" mindset, reducing silos and promoting collaboration.
• Encourage cross-selling of services and build a culture of teamwork and shared success.

Leadership Support

• Act as a visible and positive leader, supporting partners, directors, and senior stakeholders.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to develop strong leadership capabilities across the firm.
• Contribute to strategic planning and support the organisation’s growth trajectory.

Qualifications

Essential Experience

• Senior operational leadership experience within a professional services organisation operating a time-billing/fee-earner model (e.g., accountancy, legal, consulting, advisory, engineering consultancy).
• Expertise in fee earner economics, including utilisation, recovery rates, charge-out rates, WIP management, and billing cycles.
• Proven track record of improving operational performance across multiple offices or regions.
• Experience implementing standardised processes and operational reporting frameworks.
• Strong commercial acumen, connecting operational performance to revenue and profitability.

Desirable Experience

• Background in accountancy or audit firms.
• Experience with practice integrations or acquisitions.
• Familiarity with practice management systems and billing platforms.
• Previous experience at COO, Operations Director, or Regional Managing Director level within a professional services firm.

Leadership Attributes

• Credible and collaborative leader with strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Pragmatic, hands-on approach to operational improvement.
• Exceptional communication skills, capable of aligning teams across multiple offices.
• Passionate about building high-performing teams and fostering a collaborative culture.

Day-to-Day

• Oversee and optimise operational performance across all offices.

• Collaborate with partners to ensure financial targets are met.

• Conduct regular site visits and operational reviews.

• Lead cultural integration efforts for newly acquired firms.

• Drive process improvements and automation initiatives.

• Act as a trusted advisor to the Executive Leadership Team and partners.

• Bonus: Performance-related

• Benefits: Comprehensive executive package commensurate with a senior leadership role

• Location: Manchester , with flexibility on office base and regular travel across the regional network.

If you are a results-driven leader with a passion for operational excellence and a proven track record in professional services, we invite you to join our team and play a key role in shaping the future of our organisation.