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COO Executive Search
Robert Walters delivers specialist Chief Operating Officer executive search for organisations seeking operational leaders who can scale capability, strengthen performance and drive commercial outcomes. Our experienced executive recruiters partner with UK businesses across all sectors to appoint high-impact COOs with the strategic, operational and leadership skills required to transform core business functions.
Access our network of exceptional operational leaders
Our COO executive search practice connects UK organisations with Chief Operating Officers who excel in operational excellence, organisational leadership and strategic delivery. Whether you require a COO to optimise processes, steer transformation, lead multisite operations or underpin scale-up growth, we provide tailored search support informed by deep market insight.We combine rigorous assessment with a consultative approach to identify leaders who can influence at board level, strengthen governance, enhance cross-functional collaboration and deliver sustainable business performance.
Looking to begin your COO recruitment process? Speak to our team today or submit your vacancy for a confidential discussion.
Why use us for COO hiring?
Deep expertise in C-suite operational recruitment:
With decades of experience appointing COOs, Operations Directors, Transformation Directors and multidisciplinary business leaders, we understand the evolving demands placed on today’s operational executives.Extensive network of proven operational leaders: Our UK and international talent network includes leaders with backgrounds in transformation, supply chain, people leadership, digital operations, risk, customer experience and commercial delivery.
Data-led, insight-driven executive search: Our in-house intelligence function ensures each search is aligned with market realities. For example, in-depth compensation trend data to help attract the best talent, or market mapping to uncover passive candidates.
Tailored, strategic approach: Our consultants understand how varying operational models - from highly regulated industries to fast-growth digital environments - shape the capabilities required from a modern COO, ensuring a tailored and strategic search every time.
A discreet, end-to-end search process: Our controlled and highly confidential approach includes stakeholder consultation, competency-based assessment, longlisting, shortlisting, offer management and onboarding.
Leadership advisory and post‑placement development: Our talent development specialists can support organisations with leadership diagnostics, executive coaching and succession planning - helping create impact from day one.
Sectors & industries we recruit COOs across:
We support chief operating officer recruitment across a wide range of industries, helping organisations secure operational leaders who can streamline complex environments, manage risk and lead high‑performing teams.
We work with sectors including (but not limited to):
- Financial Services & Insurance
- Fintech & Technology
- Private Equity & Portfolio Companies
- Manufacturing, Engineering & Industrial
- Retail, Consumer & Ecommerce
- Supply Chain, Logistics & Distribution
- Professional & Business Services
- Public Sector, Education & Not-for-Profit
COO salary & benefits benchmarking
Stay competitive with concise insights into Chief Operating Officer salary trends across the UK, including typical base salaries, insights on bonus structures and long‑term incentives. Our benchmarking helps organisations understand what high‑performing leaders expect at different business stages, ensuring you build an attractive compensation package that aligns with the strategic value and operational leadership the role demands.
COO job description template
Define your operational leadership needs with our clear and practical COO job description template, designed by our executive recruiters. The free editable template outlines the core responsibilities, capabilities and leadership qualities required of a modern COO. Simply download the template and use the instructions to adapt it to your organisation. Access today to ensure your job spec will attract the best leaders and save time in your recruitment process.
Talent development solutions
Strengthen your COO’s impact with our tailored talent development programmes, including executive coaching, transition coaching, leadership development and candidate assessment. Delivered by industry-leading coaches, these services help leaders navigate new environments, sharpen leadership capability and drive operational excellence - ensuring they deliver long-lasting value from day one.
Meet our COO recruiters
Dan Harris
Executive search, London & South East
Dan oversees our UK & Ireland offices, leading teams that deliver specialist COO and senior operational executive search across London and the South East. Since joining Robert Walters in 2015, he has brought deep market insight and a strong national network - helping organisations appoint high‑impact COOs and operational leaders across complex, fast‑changing environments.
Habiba Khatoon
Executive search, Midlands
Habiba oversees our Midlands operations, leading on COO search and senior operational leadership appointments. With more than 15 years’ experience and a deep regional network, she supports organisations to secure impactful COOs and multi‑disciplinary operational leaders capable of driving scale‑up, transformation and restructuring.
Lucy Bisset
Executive search, North
Lucy leads our North of England operations, where she and her teams deliver specialist COO and operational executive search. With nearly 20 years’ experience, she partners with organisations of all sizes and structures to appoint COOs and senior operational leaders who drive performance, transformation and organisational change.
Howard Green
Executive search, London & South
Howard specialises in COO and senior operational‑leadership recruitment across London and the South, partnering with listed, multinational and private equity–backed companies. With over 20 years’ experience, he appoints COOs, Group Operations Directors and transformation executives who strengthen performance, operational governance and cross‑functional delivery.
Ben Appleton
Executive search, North
Ben brings 20+ years of executive search experience, specialising in COO, Operations Director and C‑suite operational appointments across the North. He supports organisations across manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, engineering and industrial sectors, helping them secure operational leaders capable of driving transformation, scaling operations and delivering measurable performance improvement.
Submit a hiring requirement
Tell us about your requirement, and a member of the team will be in touch to arrange a no-obligation discussion.
Bespoke salary benchmarking
Using a combination of our own data, publicly available insights and our recruitment experts, we build bespoke overviews of the salaries and benefits required to attract talent.
FAQs
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What is impacting COO recruitment in the UK?
Demand for chief operating officer talent in the UK continues to grow as organisations respond to rising operational complexity, ongoing digital transformation and increasing customer expectations.
Companies are now looking for operational leaders with experience in scaling operations, improving efficiency, leading multisite teams and delivering transformation that aligns people, finance, technology and customer functions.
In many organisations, the remit of the COO is expanding further to include responsibility for operational resilience, data‑driven decision‑making and enterprise‑wide governance. This trend is also evident in high‑growth sectors - including areas such as FinTech, where operational leadership must balance innovation with regulatory discipline - a dynamic that is increasingly influencing the wider market.
Interest in interim and fractional COOs is also rising, with many organisations turning to highly experienced, short‑term operational leaders to stabilise teams, drive specific programmes or support periods of rapid change.
To explore how these trends may influence your organisation’s hiring needs, speak to our COO executive search team, or submit a hiring requirement.
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Does Robert Walters support interim or fractional COO appointments?
Yes. We work with experienced interim COOs and fractional operational leaders who can provide immediate impact during transformation, restructuring, crisis stabilisation or leadership transition.
Interims are often engaged to improve operational efficiency, lead integration programmes, stabilise supply chains, redesign processes or support rapid scale‑up environments.
If you require interim or fractional COO support, contact our team to access our network of proven senior operators. Alternatively, you can submit an interim COO requirement today. -
What makes Robert Walters different from other executive search firms?
As one of the UK’s most trusted COO executive search firms, we offer a research-driven, insight-led methodology that helps organisations identify operational leaders capable of driving measurable performance.
Our approach blends deep behavioural assessment, robust market mapping and strategic advisory support - ensuring your appointment aligns with culture, capability and long-term ambition.
Start your search by speaking with our specialist recruiters or submitting your requirement to arrange a no-obligation discussion. -
Does Robert Walters recruit for European and international organisations?
Yes. Many organisations operating across Europe and international markets require UK-based COOs who can lead multi-country operations, manage cross-border complexity and drive consistent standards across diverse teams.
Our global reach and on-the-ground presence across 30+ markets enable us to deliver COO executive search assignments requiring international capability, cultural fluency and experience scaling operations across Europe, APAC and North America.
We combine local market insight with global candidate networks to identify COOs experienced in regulatory variation, multilingual stakeholder management, international supply chain leadership and region-specific transformation challenges.
Whether you’re expanding into Europe or strengthening existing international operations, we can help you appoint a leader with the global mindset and operational breadth your organisation needs.
Speak to our team to begin your international COO recruitment search or submit your vacancy.
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How do you ensure confidentiality during senior-level COO recruitment?
We understand that C-suite and board-level appointments often involve sensitive operational changes, organisational restructuring, under‑performance issues or succession planning.
We manage these searches with absolute discretion, using controlled-access shortlists, confidential outreach, anonymised briefings and secure communication protocols.
If your organisation requires a confidential or discreet executive search, get in touch with our senior appointments team.