Chief Operating Officer

East 57th Street Partners; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A private equity-backed firm is seeking a hands-on Chief Operating Officer (COO) to drive operational performance, manage M&A integrations, and develop scalable operating models in a high-growth environment. The role requires direct collaboration with executive leadership to establish KPIs and improve operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in private equity, particularly in M&A integrations and operational scalability. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence the organization during its growth trajectory.

Qualifications

• Prior experience as COO, EVP of Operations, or senior operational leader in a private equity-backed environment.
• Direct M&A integration and multi-site platform build experience.
• Strong track record in margin expansion and operational scalability.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational performance and integration of acquisitions.
• Establish KPIs tied to revenue growth and operational readiness.
• Implement a data-driven performance management framework.

Skills

Operational strategy

KPI development and performance management

M&A integrations

Process improvement

Cross-functional alignment

Job description

Our client is a private equity–backed platform company originally formed in Q4 2025 as part of a deliberate buy-and-build strategy. Since formation, the platform has completed its first add-on acquisition and currently has multiple additional acquisitions under LOI, with an aggressive integration and growth roadmap over the next 24–36 months.

The organization is transitioning from founder-led operations and decentralized processes into a scalable, institutional operating model capable of supporting rapid M&A, margin expansion, operational visibility, and exit readiness. Operational excellence is a core value-creation lever for the investment thesis, and the COO will play a mission-critical role in driving integration, performance improvement, and scalable growth across the expanding platform.

This is a hands-on, execution-focused COO role — not a purely strategic or board-level position. The ideal candidate has built and scaled operations inside private equity–backed, multi-entity, high-growth environments and thrives in fast-moving, transformation-oriented settings.

Position Summary

The Chief Operating Officer will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team and a strategic partner to the CEO, CFO, CTO, CHRO, and PE sponsor. This leader will be responsible for driving operational performance, integration of acquisitions, and the development of a repeatable, scalable operating model across the platform and all acquired businesses.

The COO will own:

• Operational strategy aligned to the investment thesis
• Post-acquisition integration and operational standardization
• KPI development, performance management, and reporting cadence
• Process improvement, margin expansion, and scalability initiatives
• Cross-functional alignment across field operations, corporate functions, and acquired entities
• Operational readiness for diligence, recapitalization, or exit

This role requires a leader who can move quickly from strategy to execution, build credibility with operators, and drive accountability in a performance-oriented environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the CEO and PE sponsor to define and execute an operational roadmap aligned to value creation
• Translate the investment thesis into operational priorities, synergy capture, and performance improvement initiatives
• Serve as a primary operating interface with the Board and Operating Partners
• Establish KPIs tied to revenue growth, margin expansion, productivity, service levels, and scalability
• Balance speed, discipline, and cultural integration in a fast-moving M&A environment

2. M&A Integration & Platform Build

• Lead operational due diligence for current and future acquisitions, including:
• Organizational structure and talent assessment
• Process maturity and operational scalability
• Cost structure and efficiency opportunities
• Customer delivery and service performance
• Own Day 1 and Day 100 integration plans from an operational perspective
• Drive standardization of core processes while preserving what makes acquired businesses successful
• Identify and capture operational synergies across the platform
• Build repeatable playbooks for onboarding future acquisitions

3. Performance Management & KPIs

• Implement a data-driven performance management framework across all business units
• Establish consistent reporting cadences and operational dashboards
• Partner with the CFO and CTO to ensure accurate, real-time operational visibility
• Hold leaders accountable to performance metrics and improvement plans
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline

4. Process Improvement & Margin Expansion

• Identify and execute initiatives to improve efficiency, productivity, and service delivery
• Reduce variability in processes across acquired entities
• Partner with functional leaders to streamline workflows and remove operational bottlenecks
• Drive cost optimization initiatives without compromising growth or customer experience
• Embed scalable processes that support rapid growth and additional acquisitions

5. Organizational Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment

• Lead and develop operational leaders across business units and geographies
• Clarify roles, responsibilities, and decision rights across the platform
• Partner closely with CHRO on organizational design, workforce planning, and leadership development
• Foster alignment between field operations, corporate teams, and newly acquired businesses
• Build a performance-driven culture grounded in accountability and collaboration

6. Customer & Service Delivery Excellence

• Ensure operational execution supports strong customer outcomes and retention
• Standardize service delivery models and best practices where appropriate
• Monitor service KPIs and implement corrective actions when needed
• Partner with Sales and Customer Success leaders to ensure operations can support growth targets

Ideal Candidate Profile

Required Experience

• Prior experience as a COO, EVP of Operations, or senior operational leader in a private equity–backed environment
• Direct experience supporting M&A integrations and multi-site or multi-entity platform builds
• Strong track record of driving margin expansion and operational scalability
• Experience implementing KPI-driven performance management frameworks
• Experience partnering directly with Boards, CEOs, CFOs, and PE sponsors
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, evolving, high-growth environments

Preferred Background

• Experience supporting buy-and-build strategies in services, industrials, healthcare, consumer, or other multi-site environments
• Exposure to companies transitioning from founder-led operations to institutional scale
• Experience preparing operations for exit, recapitalization, or strategic sale
• Blend of strategic leadership and roll-up-the-sleeves operational execution

Leadership Attributes

• Execution-first mindset — focused on results and accountability
• Pragmatic, decisive, and performance-oriented
• Strong operator who earns trust quickly with field and business leaders
• Comfortable driving change in legacy environments
• Trusted partner to both investors and operators

Why This Role Is Compelling

• Opportunity to help build a scalable operating platform in the early innings of a PE-backed growth story
• Direct impact on integration success, margin expansion, and exit readiness
• High-visibility role with regular Board and sponsor interaction
• Ability to shape the long-term operating model across a growing portfolio of businesses