Chief Operating Officer - COO

OrcaRouter; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

OrcaRouter is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to oversee day-to-day operations, drive scalable systems, and coordinate with product, engineering, and finance teams. This contract role is based in Tokyo with a hybrid on-site and remote work arrangement, supporting rapid growth and cross-border collaboration.

The COO will lead operational initiatives, implement KPIs, optimize resources, and shape business planning for new markets.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in operations or COO-level roles within tech or SaaS.
• Strong ability to optimize processes and coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Data-driven decision making with advanced analytics skills.
• Experience with AI, cloud infrastructure, or developer-focused products is beneficial.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations and ensure efficient processes.
• Develop and refine operational strategies to support rapid growth.
• Coordinate with product, engineering, and finance teams on KPIs and performance metrics.
• Manage budgets, resource allocation, and business planning for market expansion.
• Provide risk management and vendor/partner oversight.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Skills

Operations Management

Process Optimization

Cross-functional Coordination

Business Planning

Strategic Execution

Advanced Analytics

Finance and Budgeting

Leadership (COO-level)

AI / Cloud familiarity

Communication & Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business/Operations/Engineering

Job description

Company Description

OrcaRouter is an intelligent AI routing layer that dynamically selects the most suitable model for every prompt across a network of more than 200 models. By optimizing model selection, OrcaRouter helps organizations reduce inference costs by up to 80% while maintaining performance and reliability. The platform offers a single, unified API with zero markup and no vendor lock‑in, giving teams flexibility and control over their AI infrastructure. OrcaRouter is designed for scalability, cost‑efficiency, and seamless integration, making it a strong choice for businesses looking to operationalize AI at scale.

Role Description

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) at OrcaRouter will oversee day‑to‑day operations, ensuring efficient processes, high‑quality service delivery, and scalable systems that support rapid growth. This contract position is based in Tokyo in a hybrid arrangement, combining on‑site collaboration with flexibility for partial work‑from‑home. The COO will manage cross‑functional operational initiatives, coordinate with product, engineering, and finance teams, and implement KPIs and performance metrics to improve operational outcomes. Responsibilities include developing and refining operational strategies, optimizing resource allocation, managing budgets, and supporting business planning for new markets and offerings. The role will also involve risk management, vendor and partner oversight, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Qualifications

• Strong Operations Management skills, including process optimization and cross‑functional coordination.
• Proficiency in Business Planning and strategic execution to support growth and market expansion.
• Advanced Analytical Skills for data‑driven decision‑making and performance measurement.
• Experience in Finance and Budgeting to manage costs, forecasts, and resource allocation.
• Proven leadership experience in an operations or COO‑level role within technology or SaaS organizations.
• Experience working with AI, cloud infrastructure, or developer‑focused products is highly beneficial.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, scaling environment and to operate effectively in a hybrid Tokyo‑based setting.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.