THIS SEARCH WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
About the Company
Our client is a very successful video-on-demand software company with rich experience of almost 20 years. Headquartered in Ontario, Canada with offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia, our client’s software is used by over 35 million consumers across the world. They work closely with global brands in sectors such as automotive, telecommunications and electronics.
As a result of a major new game-changing contract with a tier-1 North American cable MSO the firm now requires a dynamic and passionate leader to be the firm’s COO.
Scope of Position
Reporting to the President and CEO, the COO will oversee all engineering and operations activities related to the development, delivery and support of our client’s products and services. The broad objective of the role is to build a world-class global organization through effectively developing, deploying and supporting the products that will provide value to the company’s customers, and meet the business strategy and goals for profitable growth. A critical success factor of this key position is the executive’s ability to build a culture and approach that supports growth in order to take the company to a higher level.
Functional Tasks
- Develop and execute a strategy that drives excellence across the operational organizations, leveraging best-of-class processes, technology and team members to meet and exceed customer expectations as measured by output and efficiency.
- Ensuring that scalable processes, policies, procedures are in place to help build future growth.
- Participate as an open, engaged and committed member of the Executive Team in the formulation and execution of the corporate vision, strategy and business objectives.
- Direct or delegate the development of operational policy, procedures and practices, both short and long term, as they pertain to customer service, quality control, product development, project management and sales.
- Understand and apply efficient and cost effective operations knowledge and practice and, to sustain a profitable day to day business operations that enable service delivery which meets or exceeds customer expectation.
- Participate in Business Case and Business Plan Definitions and reviews.
- Attend and present at Board meetings.
- Ensure operational milestones are met on time, with high quality and that they meet the cost objectives that are established; reporting on a monthly as well as a quarterly basis.
- Create and sustain a viable organizational structure to make optimum use of human resources, technology and systems.
- Build and facilitate the development of strong relationships and synergies with all other areas of the company and with the company’s technical partners and customers in order to achieve the corporate goals, objectives and revenue targets.
- Install the concept of Process Control and Planning wherever possible within Operations, while ensuring that processes are adapted to the relatively small scale of the company.
- Foster a culture of team spirit and innovation into the longer and short-term operations of the organization.
Key Performance Deliverables
In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.
- Specific deliverables will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.
Competency Profile
The following competencies listed below define the role of Chief Operating Officer –
Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.
Quality Orientation
Strives for excellence in products, processes and/or services through continued evaluation, enhancement and redefinition of quality standards.
Results Orientation
Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.
Influence
Articulates key points persuasively. Negotiates skillfully and convinces others to own point of view. Directly and indirectly impacts the decisions/opinions of others. Mobilizes people into action.
Customer/Client Orientation
Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.
Industry & Market Awareness
Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges by understanding key characteristics, issues and the factors driving them. Aware of competitor’s products, services and position.
Role Expertise
Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to the role. Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods. Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.
People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.
Preferred Experience / Education
The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables.
- Bachelors degree or equivalent, preferably in a technical or engineering discipline. Masters degree an asset.
- 10-15 years work experience with a majority spent in operations and engineering with at least five years in a leadership role.
- Significant experience in delivering software services in large complex environments.
- Extensive experience delivering software solutions and IP networking products or telecom
- A track record in successfully delivering new products/services to emerging markets
- Experience in implementing best practices in operations, quality systems, and engineering
- Significant change management, business transformation experience within mid-sized companies.
- Experience in people management roles with recruitment, selection, hiring, coaching, feedback, employee engagement and performance management.
- Entrepreneurial experience in scaling a company from $25M to $100M and understanding the issues around delivering standard products and customized integrated solutions to large enterprise customers and service providers.
- Experience leading change.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to plan, prioritize and organize effectively and to make sound, logical decisions.
- General management experience overseeing engineering, operations and sales; Strong sales and product management background would be beneficial
- Possess the skill and experience in due diligence, acquisition, consolidation and integration of business operations.
- Understanding operational issues associated with product development and system integration where teams are geographically dispersed.
- Strong customer facing skills.
Remuneration & Benefits
- Highly competitive base, variable and stock plan for the successful candidate.