Chief Operating Officer

Hatch Asia; Kuala Lumpur; Hybrid; MYR 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Hatch Asia is engaging for a Chief Operating Officer role at a prominent Southeast Asian higher education institution. Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor, this position carries end-to-end accountability for translating group strategy into execution across student experience, campus development, and enabling functions.

It requires outstanding leadership, operational rigor, and the ability to align diverse teams under a shared vision.

Qualifications

• Proven senior executive experience leading complex, multi-function operations at enterprise scale.
• Track record translating strategy into measurable execution outcomes.
• Experience in asset- and service-intensive environments.
• Digital and systems fluency with ability to embed technology into operations.
• Commercial acumen and sound judgement in balancing trade-offs, risk, and investment.
• Enterprise mindset with gravitas to influence senior stakeholders and drive cultural change.

Responsibilities

• Translate institutional strategy into execution across student experience, campus development and enabling functions.
• Anchor operational coherence, decision velocity, and delivery discipline across the enterprise.
• Lead governance, risk management and operational resilience at senior leadership level.
• Drive cross-functional accountability and orchestration across campuses.
• Oversee estates, facilities, and long-term campus master planning aligned to ESG priorities.

Skills

Senior executive leadership

Strategic execution

Digital and systems fluency

Governance and risk management

Stakeholder influencing

Enterprise-wide transformation

Tools

ERP systems

Data analytics tools

Governance frameworks

Job description

\"Unifying Purpose, Shaping Careers\" - We believe in a world where organizational strategies are brought to life; when everyone finds value in their work by aligning organizational purpose with people, where we inspire a meaningful and impactful future.

Hatch Asia has been appointed as the preferred executive search partner to lead the search for a Chief Operating Officer for a prominent higher education institution in Southeast Asia.

This is a pivotal enterprise leadership role reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor, with end-to-end accountability for translating group strategy into execution across student experience, campus development, and key enabling functions. The role anchors operational coherence, decision velocity, and delivery discipline across the institution.

The Challenges

• Translate institutional strategy into an integrated, scalable operating model across campuses and functions


• Orchestrate end-to-end student experience from enrolment to graduation, eliminating fragmentation and silos


• Lead digital and technology enablement to drive service excellence, data-driven decision-making, and operational efficiency


• Oversee estates, facilities, and long-term campus master planning aligned to growth and ESG priorities


• Strengthen governance, risk management, and operational resilience across the enterprise


• Build execution discipline and cross-functional accountability at senior leadership level

What It Takes

• Proven senior executive experience leading complex, multi-function operations at enterprise scale


• Strong track record of translating strategy into execution with measurable outcomes


• Experience in asset- and service-intensive environments


• Digital and systems fluency, with the ability to embed technology into ways of working


• Commercial acumen and sound judgement in managing trade-offs, risk, and investment priorities


• Enterprise mindset with the gravitas to influence senior stakeholders and lead cultural transformation