Chief Operating Officer

Vela Wood; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complete authority over operations

Opportunity to shape future culture

Trusted support network and leadership team

Job summary

A leading law firm in Dallas seeks a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to enhance operational efficiency while maintaining a strong company culture. Responsibilities include overseeing firm operations, aligning departments, and improving workflows. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in professional services, emotional intelligence, and strong communication skills. This full-time role offers authority and autonomy in shaping the operational direction of the firm.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in professional services environments.
• Ability to manage interpersonal dynamics effectively.
• Strong operational backbone and strategic mindset.
• Strategic mindset with capacity to anticipate needs quarters ahead.
• Excellent communication with staff, leadership, and partners.
• Demonstrated executive presence and decision-making.
• In-office collaboration across Dallas and Austin offices.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations across the firm.
• Prepare and present operational updates to partners.
• Audit and refine key firm processes for efficiency.
• Audit and refine onboarding, training, communications, and processes for efficiency.
• Oversee documentation while ensuring practical adoption and use.
• Forecast growth, resources, and capacity with leadership and finance.
• Align operations with business goals and maintain culture during scaling.
• Monitor KPIs and adjust strategies to meet firm objectives.
• Build trusted relationships with equity partners and department leads.

Skills

Cross-functional team leadership

Emotional intelligence

Operational systems design

Strategic thinking

Excellent communication

Decision-making

Flexibility

Job description

Our mission is clear: to be the best company in Texas - by building genuine client relationships, embracing cutting‑edge innovation, and creating life‑enriching careers for our people. Our systems, people, and culture are strong — and now we are ready to elevate our operational infrastructure to ensure our growth without sacrificing culture.

Why This Role Exists

As VW expands, the Equity Partners have identified the need for a dedicated operational leader to turn their vision into action. The COO will take ownership of firm operations, aligning departments, strengthening processes, and enabling growth without compromising culture, thereby giving partners and attorneys the clarity and space to focus on client work and strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Report to the CEO/Firm Managing Partner.
• Lead and own all day‑to‑day operational and administrative functions across the firm (HR, Marketing, Finance, People Ops, Technology Support, along with optimizing cross‑departmental workflows).
• Prepare, present, and lead monthly operational updates at partner meetings, with forward‑looking plans and actionable next steps.
• Audit and refine key firm processes (onboarding, training, cross‑department workflows, internal communications, etc.) for clarity and efficiency.
• Oversee documentation of firm functions — but balance documentation with practical systems and habits to ensure real adoption, not just paperwork.
• Partner with leadership and finance to forecast firm growth, resources (staffing, offices, budget), and operational capacity.
• Align operational strategy with business goals — ensuring we scale smartly without diluting culture or overburdening the team.
• Monitor operational KPIs and recommend adjustments to sustainably meet firm goals.
• Oversee internal mechanisms for measuring employee satisfaction, engagement, and operational effectiveness (e.g., quarterly pulse surveys, feedback loops).
• Lead major operational projects (e.g., office buildouts, resource planning), ensuring minimal disruption and clear communication across the firm.
• Foster trust, transparency, and cohesion across departments.
• Identify and address cultural or performance hurdles through coaching or transition if necessary.
• Build and maintain strong 1:1 relationships with equity partners and department leads to understand needs, challenges, and aspirations.
• Serve as a connector between leadership and staff, ensuring clear communication and alignment across the firm.

What Success Looks Like

• Operational Stability: Staff report that “things just work”; minimal confusion over process, roles, or responsibilities.
• Culture & Trust: Consistent positive feedback on collaboration and leadership trust; employer NPS continues to improve.
• Cross‑Department Efficiency: Key onboarding & coordination workflows streamlined; measurable reduction in delays or miscommunication.
• Talent Management: Smooth onboarding + training, clear performance expectations, measuring and assessing performance.
• Strategic Growth Support: Firm able to scale operations without adding significant headcount, while maintaining quality and culture.
• Leadership Presence: Equity partners view COO as first point of operational contact — trusted, capable, and proactive.

What We’re Looking For in You

• Significant experience leading cross‑functional teams in a medium‑to‑large professional services environment (law firms, consultancies, agencies, etc.).
• Strong emotional intelligence — able to lead culturally sensitive environments, manage interpersonal dynamics, and earn trust across levels.
• Operational backbone — able to design systems, refine processes, and ensure consistent execution.
• Strategic mindset — able to anticipate firm needs 2–3 quarters ahead; proactively design solutions rather than react to crises.
• Excellent communication — with staff, leadership, across departments, and in partner‑level forums.
• Commitment to in‑office 100% — building rapport with all team members in both offices (Dallas and Austin).
• Leadership presence — able to make courageous decisions, own them, and explain them clearly; able to build respect and confidence from equity partners down through staff.
• Flexibility and pragmatism — understands that documentation alone isn’t enough; values adaptive systems that work in practice.
• Above all else, you should be a really good person – someone who leads with integrity, humility, and respect. At VW, we believe life is for living, that curiosity fuels excellence, and that great companies are built by people who treat one another well while doing meaningful, ambitious work together.

What We’ll Provide You

• Complete authority over firm operations — decision rights, ownership, and autonomy to lead.
• Opportunity to shape the future of VW, structurally and culturally.
• A trusted support network and leadership team committed to giving you the runway to succeed.
• A people‑first culture that values trust, transparency, and collaboration over bureaucracy.

Seniority level: Executive | Employment type: Full‑time | Job function: Management | Industries: Law Practice