405 Chief Operating Officer jobs in the United Kingdom

Kimbolton School is a thriving co-educational independent school for over 1,000 children aged 3 to 18. Predominantly a day school, Kimbolton has a small but vibrant boarding community of up to 60 UK and international boarders. Set in 120 acres of stunning Cambridgeshire parkland, with Kimbolton Castle at its heart, the school is well located, close to the borders of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire and just 40 minutes by train to London.

The Headmaster and Governors are seeking to appoint a dynamic, financially astute and commercially driven Chief Operating Officer (COO). Working in conjunction with the Headmaster, Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body, they will be instrumental in building on the current strategy to further develop and strengthen Kimbolton’s financial, operational and commercial activities and play a key role in shaping the school’s future. This is an exciting time to join Kimbolton, with a new pre-school opening in January 2026 and an updated estates masterplan and strategy to embrace the international schools sector both underway.

Reporting to the Headmaster, the COO is a critical member of the Senior Leadership Team and will lead a diverse team of over 200 skilled and dedicated support staff. Areas of responsibility include finance, estates, HR, IT, compliance, health and safety, contract catering and commercial activities. The post holder will also fulfil the role of Clerk to the Governors.

Candidates will be able to demonstrate proven ability in executive leadership and financial control, strategic planning and operational delivery within large complex organisations. They will be a visible and empathetic leader, capable of inspiring and motivating high-functioning teams. An outstanding communicator, they will need to demonstrate compassion and the ability to quickly win the respect and trust of those within the school and the wider communities.

Prior experience in the education sector is not a prerequisite, and applications are encouraged from candidates with commercial, charitable, private- and public-sector backgrounds. The successful candidate will, however, demonstrate a passion for education and empathy with the independent sector, as well as a commitment to the ethos and values of Kimbolton.

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics to arrange an informal and confidential discussion about the role:

Nina Lambert, Head of Professional Services Appointments:

For further information about the role and details of how to apply, please visit

Closing date: 10.00am on Monday 10 November 2025.

Kimbolton School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

The safeguarding responsibilities of the role are indicated in the candidate information brochure.

RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.

Role Title: Chief Operating Officer

Salary: Competitive for a charity organisation

Location: London Diocesan House, Pimlico. Flexible working is available.

Closing Date: 5pm on Monday 27 October

The size and missional opportunity of the Diocese of London is huge. The population of around 4.2 million is served by 500 Church of England parishes and worshipping communities, over 1,000 clergy and ministers and approximately 90,000 regular worshippers. The London Diocesan Fund is the charitable body which facilitates the work of the Diocese; it is a significant sized charity with over 120 staff, income and expenditure of £50m and with £0.5 billion of funds made up of investment and functional property assets.

As the Diocese’s Chief Operating Officer, you will lead key parts of our corporate enabling functions including our finance, governance and IT teams, along with broader strategic leadership responsibilities as part of the senior management team, supporting the Chief Executive in leading the LDF as an organisation and driving the strategic ambitions of the Diocese as we go through a period of critical change. You will work closely with our trustees and governance bodies to ensure that strategic financial oversight and strong financial leadership enable informed, data-driven decisions. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) provides financial and operational leadership across the LDF, ensuring the LDF’s financial health, operational effectiveness and long term sustainability. This role will also act as a deputy to the General Secretary where needed.

You will be a qualified accountant with experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams in an environment where complexity, ambiguity and delivery are the norm. You will be an accomplished team leader, able to motivate, develop and support staff to build a positive and inclusive culture which delivers exceptional results. Your approach will be marked by collaboration, humility, resilience and strong technical expertise exercised at a senior and strategic level. Values and culture are as important to us as capability, and your professional experience will be underpinned by your personal faith. As a key senior leader in the diocese, you will be a practising Christian and comfortable leading in an environment driven by the mission and ministry of the Church of England. (Schedule 9, paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010 applies)

This is an exciting opportunity that will blend genuine professional complexity with living out your personal faith in a way that serves the mission and ministry of the Church of England across London.

For more information about the role, how to apply and to have an informal discussion about your suitability, please visit microsite.

We want our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion for all to be reflected in the composition of our staff. We are particularly keen to receive applications from candidates from communities currently underrepresented at senior levels in the diocese.

As COO for our IT services organisation, you will lead and scale the operational engine of the company. You will translate strategy into execution, ensure consistent and efficient delivery of client-facing services, build operational resilience, drive process excellence, and manage cross-functional operations (delivery, support, engineering, infrastructure, vendor management) ensuring excellence in service, profitability, and growth. You are a strategic operator who can think long-term but roll up your sleeves for execution, continuously improving how the business works. Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities Below are typical domains and responsibilities for a COO in an IT Services context. You should tailor or emphasise based on your business model (e.g. managed services, consulting, outsourcing, product services hybrid). DomainResponsibilities Strategy & Execution - Collaborate with CEO and leadership to define strategic initiatives and translate them into operational plans. - Prioritise operational projects and investments aligned with business goals. - Monitor progress, adjust course, and ensure accountability across functions. Service Delivery & Operations - Oversee all client delivery activities: project delivery, managed services, support, implementation, field services. - Implement KPIs, SLAs, metrics, dashboards to monitor performance, quality, utilization, margins. - Drive continuous improvement, standardisation of delivery methodologies, best practices, automation. - Ensure operational scalability to support growth. Engineering / Technical / Infrastructure - Coordinate with CTO / Head of Engineering to align development, infrastructure, architecture, tools with operational needs. - Lead capacity planning, infrastructure performance, reliability, disaster recovery, security operations. - Ensure technical debt is managed, rigour in change control, release management. Client / Vendor / Partner Management - Manage key vendor and partner relationships (outsourced operations, technology providers, subcontractors). - Negotiate contracts, SLAs, pricing, performance metrics. - Act as escalation point for major client issues, coordinate resolution. Financial & Commercial Oversight - Share in P&L responsibility: drive operational efficiency, margin improvement, cost control. - Collaborate with CFO / Finance to prepare budgets, forecasts, scenario planning. - Monitor utilisation, resource allocation, project profitability. People Leadership & Org Design - Build, lead, mentor senior operations, delivery, support, technical operations teams. - Define structure, roles & responsibilities; ensure adequate staffing, career plans, KPIs. - Foster performance culture, accountability, collaboration across functions. Risk, Compliance & Quality - Establish and enforce governance, process compliance, operational risk controls. - Ensure compliance with relevant standards (e.g. ISO, ITIL, GDPR, data protection, security). - Drive quality assurance, auditing, post-mortem learning. Change & Transformation - Lead organisational change initiatives: process reengineering, tool rollouts, digital transformation. - Champion innovation, automation, new operational capabilities. Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement - Report operational performance, risks, opportunities to CEO and Board. - Engage cross-functionally with sales, product, HR, finance to coordinate execution. Business Development Support - Participate in bids and proposals from an operational perspective (estimating delivery feasibility, resource planning, risk assessment). - Help assess potential M&A, partnerships, integration of new acquisitions from an operational standpoint. teceze itservices

We are looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join the leadership team of a growing property services company to help take the business to the next level. The ideal candidate will be responsible for ensuring operational excellence across the organisation with the primary goal being to increase productivity, efficiency, and profitability. You'll be the operational heartbeat of the company - turning strategy into action, systems into results, and ideas into growth. Working closely with the Founder/MD, you'll take ownership of daily operations, streamline how we work, and make sure every property, project, and pound is performing at its best. Responsibilities Oversee all operational functions, including project delivery, maintenance, compliance, and facilities services Build scalable systems and processes as we grow Ensure health, safety, and regulatory compliance across all activities Drive financial performance and improve efficiency Drive continuous improvement in service delivery, efficiency, and client satisfaction Contribute to business development through operational input on bids, tenders, and proposals Lead a small, ambitious team and foster a "get it done" culture Recruit and retain high-calibre talent as the business scales Partner with the CEO on strategy, investment, and growth opportunities Qualifications 10 years' of executive experience Strategic planning and business development experience Strong written and verbal and presentation skills Strong leadership and organizational skills

As COO for our IT services organisation, you will lead and scale the operational engine of the company. You will translate strategy into execution, ensure consistent and efficient delivery of client-facing services, build operational resilience, drive process excellence, and manage cross-functional operations (delivery, support, engineering, infrastructure, vendor management) ensuring excellence in service, profitability, and growth. You are a strategic operator who can think long-term but roll up your sleeves for execution, continuously improving how the business works. Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities Below are typical domains and responsibilities for a COO in an IT Services context. You should tailor or emphasise based on your business model (e.g. managed services, consulting, outsourcing, product services hybrid). DomainResponsibilities Strategy & Execution - Collaborate with CEO and leadership to define strategic initiatives and translate them into operational plans. - Prioritise operational projects and investments aligned with business goals. - Monitor progress, adjust course, and ensure accountability across functions. Service Delivery & Operations - Oversee all client delivery activities: project delivery, managed services, support, implementation, field services. - Implement KPIs, SLAs, metrics, dashboards to monitor performance, quality, utilization, margins. - Drive continuous improvement, standardisation of delivery methodologies, best practices, automation. - Ensure operational scalability to support growth. Engineering / Technical / Infrastructure - Coordinate with CTO / Head of Engineering to align development, infrastructure, architecture, tools with operational needs. - Lead capacity planning, infrastructure performance, reliability, disaster recovery, security operations. - Ensure technical debt is managed, rigour in change control, release management. Client / Vendor / Partner Management - Manage key vendor and partner relationships (outsourced operations, technology providers, subcontractors). - Negotiate contracts, SLAs, pricing, performance metrics. - Act as escalation point for major client issues, coordinate resolution. Financial & Commercial Oversight - Share in P&L responsibility: drive operational efficiency, margin improvement, cost control. - Collaborate with CFO / Finance to prepare budgets, forecasts, scenario planning. - Monitor utilisation, resource allocation, project profitability. People Leadership & Org Design - Build, lead, mentor senior operations, delivery, support, technical operations teams. - Define structure, roles & responsibilities; ensure adequate staffing, career plans, KPIs. - Foster performance culture, accountability, collaboration across functions. Risk, Compliance & Quality - Establish and enforce governance, process compliance, operational risk controls. - Ensure compliance with relevant standards (e.g. ISO, ITIL, GDPR, data protection, security). - Drive quality assurance, auditing, post-mortem learning. Change & Transformation - Lead organisational change initiatives: process reengineering, tool rollouts, digital transformation. - Champion innovation, automation, new operational capabilities. Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement - Report operational performance, risks, opportunities to CEO and Board. - Engage cross-functionally with sales, product, HR, finance to coordinate execution. Business Development Support - Participate in bids and proposals from an operational perspective (estimating delivery feasibility, resource planning, risk assessment). - Help assess potential M&A, partnerships, integration of new acquisitions from an operational standpoint. teceze itservices

Chief Operating Officer (COO) Location: London, UK (with international project reach) About the Company: Join a ground-breaking digital infrastructure company at a pivotal moment of rapid expansion within the Data Centre and Digital Infrastructure industry. With active projects in the UK, North America, and beyond, they are redefining how AI, cloud, and high-performance compute facilities are delivered and run. Their focus is on building sustainable, resilient, high-density data centre platforms, underpinned by a culture of innovation, execution, and a genuine mission to lead the next wave of digital transformation. Why Join? Lead and shape a business that sits at the intersection of AI, cloud, and clean energy. Influence project pipelines with international scope—current operational facilities and new developments in UK, US, and Canada, and more in the pipeline. Work directly with an ambitious C-suite, board, and investor community. Gain equity and play a key role in our path toward IPO and international scale. Be the architect of operational blueprints that will be replicated globally. The Role: As COO, you will be the operational backbone and implementer-in-chief, forging clarity out of complexity in a company that is consolidating acquired data centres, innovating service models, and scaling rapidly. You’ll lead the harmonisation of different operating models into a unified, scalable platform—creating both strategic systems and people-first solutions. Your Impact: Operational Leadership: Redesign and optimise operations across multiple business units/data centres, ensuring scalability, consistency, and resilience as the company expands both in the UK and internationally. People & Culture: Build and lead talented, high-performing teams; instil a culture of ownership, collaboration, and operational excellence. Be a true people-first operator, fostering teamwork over silos. Blueprint Creation: Develop robust operating models for data centre management that can be rolled out across all current and future sites (UK, US, and emerging markets). Strategic Projects: Play a key role in integrating acquisitions, retrofitting facilities with AI/HPC technology, and supporting our journey to industry-scale proof of concept—crucial for investor-led growth and future IPO. Leadership Partner: Work closely with the CEO and C-suite to shape company strategy, governance, and growth roadmap. Have a seat at the table with significant equity upside. Solution-Oriented Problem Solver: Drive a mindset of active problem solving—empowering teams to own challenges and deliver solutions, not just surface problems. Experience: Experience: 10 years in senior operations leadership within data centre, digital infrastructure, or related sectors (telecoms, clean energy). Expertise: Deep, hands-on knowledge of data centre/end-to-end facility operations; can assess staffing models, workflow tools, SLA management, and vendor relationships. Track Record: Success at unifying disparate legacy operations into cohesive systems; experience with greenfield and brownfield assets is highly valued. Leadership: Natural team builder with strong people and change management skills—known for bringing diverse groups together and inspiring followership. Strategic Mindset & Autonomy: Thinks beyond the day-to-day—can set direction over 12-24 months, operate with significant autonomy, and challenge the executive team when needed. Culture & Diversity Champion: Wants to leave a mark on organisational culture, valuing innovation through healthy debate and diversity at the C-suite level. Compensation: Base Salary: £150k–£175k (experience-dependent) Bonus: Performance-based structure Equity: Significant package as a key C-suite hire Benefits: Comprehensive package, international travel, flexible work policies How to Apply: If you are passionate about building the operational playbook for tomorrow’s digital infrastructure, thrive in scale-up environments, and want your work to have a tangible, global impact, we want to hear from you. Apply now to start a confidential conversation.