Chief Operating Officer – (COO)

OFO No:

What is a Chief Operating Officer (COO)?

A COO holds a very senior position in the company. They make very important decisions regarding production and employee policies.

COO’s research and review different areas like:

• quality control
• safety
• production line

With these company statistics they set new targets and policies. COO’s liaise with managers and executives to stay abreast of the overall state of the company.

The COO’s main task is to maximise profits without losing or harming the customer’s experience. They are in charge of making sure the company is running as smoothly as possible.

What does a COO do?

• liaises with company managers
• researches and collects company statistics from every department
• liaises regularly with workers and supervisors
• develops new ideas and strategies to improve performance and profits
• implements training programmes
• attends meetings with managers and other executives

Are you . . . ?

• interested in business?
• logical?
• intelligent?
• good at mathematics?
• analytical?
• a decision maker?
• ambitious?
• a problem solver?
• a good communicator?

How do I become a COO?

COO’s don’t become COO’s overnight. A COO holds a very senior position so it will take time and hard work and experience to get to this point.

COO’s have usually studied a degree in business administration or business management. In most cases, they may have more than one degree or even a Masters or doctorate degree.

Check your local university and colleges to see what they offer: https://careerplanet.co.za/institutions

Make sure you meet all their entry requirements.

Once qualified, you will enter the company as a junior in the company. From this position, you will need to learn as much as you can on the job. It’s advisable for you to collect more skills and training to jump ahead of the rest. You need to show that you’re motivated, a team player and that you’re responsible and hard-working before you will get promoted.

COO’s are usually older because it takes time to gather knowledge and experience. The next step for a COO is to aim for CEO (Chief Executive Officer).

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. 
• CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: CEO … or … Contract Manager

Is becoming a COO the right career choice for me?