Chief Operating Officer Job Description: Salary, Top Companies, and Future

Chief Operating Officer Job Description Summary: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a top C-suite executive responsible for managing a company’s day-to-day operations and turning the CEO’s strategic vision into reality. If you’re aiming for this high-level executive role, consider enrolling in Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Courses, ideal for someone looking to move into C-suite roles. 

As the second-in-command to a CEO, a COO oversees internal business functions across departments to ensure the organization runs efficiently and effectively. Key duties of a COO typically include:

• Managing the everyday running of the business.
• Ensuring the organization meets its short-term and long-term objectives.
• Identifying areas for improvement in workflows.
• Introducing new technologies to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

In the following sections of this guide, you will discover exactly who a COO is, the COO job description (roles and responsibilities), the skills and qualifications needed to become a successful COO, and much more.

Who is a Chief Operating Officer (COO)? What Does a COO Do?

Did You Know? In India, the median salary range for COOs, reflecting salaries within the 25th and 75th percentile, is INR 30L to INR 1 Cr. In other words, COOs are among the best-paid executives in India, right behind CEOs. 

Definition - Chief Operating Officer (COO): A Chief Operating Officer – also known as a Chief Operations Officer – is a senior executive tasked with running the internal operations of a company. These executives typically report directly to the CEO. 

What do COOs do in their day-to-day role?

• Translator of Strategy: The COO takes the strategic plans devised by the CEO and the leadership team and translates them into actionable operational plans​. They make sure the strategy on paper becomes a reality on the ground.
• Operational Leader: The COO leads the operational side of the business, supervising multiple departments (e.g., production, marketing, sales, HR, finance) to ensure they work in harmony toward company goals.  
• Integrator and Coordinator: Acting as a central node, the COO connects the dots across the organization – aligning teams, resources, and processes. 
• Internal Problem-Solver: COOs are often the ones to spot and fix internal issues.
• Right Hand to the CEO: Most importantly, the COO is the CEO's trusted partner. They handle internal affairs so the CEO can focus on external growth, partnerships, and long-term vision.  

COO vs CEO: How Do Their Roles Differ?

It’s common to confuse the roles of the CEO and COO since both are top executives involved in running the company. However, there are crucial differences in their focus and responsibilities. 

The table below contrasts the two roles clearly: COO vs CEO

In essence, the CEO formulates the plan, while the COO makes sure the plan happens.

Chief Operating Officer Job Description - Roles and Responsibilities of a COO

Every organization defines the Chief Operating Officer's responsibilities differently, but the COO job description generally covers a wide range of operational and strategic duties. 

Detailed Breakdown of COO Job Description: key Roles and Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning & Execution: Collaborating with the CEO and other executives to develop business strategies, and then driving the execution of these strategies across the organization.
• Overseeing Daily Operations: Ensuring the company’s day-to-day operations run efficiently. This includes supervising operational processes, managing supply chains, production, or service delivery, and removing any roadblocks in daily work.
• Process Improvement: Continuously analyzing existing processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. The COO implements process optimization initiatives (sometimes introducing new technologies or methodologies) to increase productivity and reduce costs.
• Financial Management: Working with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or finance team on budgeting, financial planning, and monitoring of key financial metrics. While the CFO handles financial reporting, the COO ensures operational decisions are financially sound. For example, making sure operational expenses align with budgets and finding cost-saving opportunities.
• Team Leadership & Talent Development: Leading and mentoring the heads of various departments (operations, sales, HR, etc.). A COO ensures that these leaders have the resources and guidance needed to achieve their targets. They also play a role in shaping company culture and developing future leaders by building an environment of accountability and growth.
• Policy Implementation & Compliance: Overseeing the implementation of company policies and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards in operations. The COO often coordinates with legal or compliance teams to enforce standards.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Acting as a bridge between different departments. The COO facilitates communication and collaboration among teams like marketing, engineering, and customer support, making sure everyone is aligned and working towards common objectives.
• Risk Management & Problem Solving: Identifying operational risks or inefficiencies and addressing them proactively​. If an unexpected issue arises – say a supply chain disruption or a project delay – the COO is typically the one to convene the team, troubleshoot the problem, and implement a solution.
• Stakeholder Management: Communicating with key internal and external stakeholders about operational performance. Internally, the COO regularly updates the CEO (and sometimes the board) on operational metrics. Externally, a COO might interact with partners, vendors, or major clients to ensure operational expectations are met.
• Employee Satisfaction and Culture: While managing hard metrics is crucial, many COOs also pay attention to organizational health – ensuring that employees are motivated and the workplace culture is conducive to productivity. This could involve implementing initiatives for employee engagement, retention, and training.
• Revenue Operations Alignment: In some companies, the COO works closely on RevOps (Revenue Operations) – aligning sales, marketing, and customer success processes to maximize revenue growth. This can include optimizing the sales or digital marketing funnel, improving customer onboarding, or refining pricing strategies.
• OKRs & Execution Frameworks: Setting and monitoring Operational Key Results (OKRs) or similar performance management frameworks to keep the organization focused. The COO often tracks company-wide operational KPIs and OKRs, ensuring teams meet their targets and the overall execution is on course.
• Technology & Systems Ownership: Taking charge of major operational systems – for example, overseeing the implementation of an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system or other technology platforms that streamline operations. Nowadays, a COO must be comfortable in using technology to improve efficiency.
• Customer Experience Delivery: Making sure that operations ultimately deliver a great customer experience. This means coordinating between customer-facing teams and back-end operations. For example, ensuring product fulfillment, customer support, and quality assurance are all aligned to meet customer expectations.
• Board & Investor Reporting: In many organizations, the COO prepares operational reports for board meetings or investor updates. These reports present operational achievements, challenges, and plans, giving stakeholders confidence in the company's execution capabilities.

Surprised by the sheer amount of roles and responsibilities a COO shoulders day in and day out to keep a company running? This might make you curious about the time you should be devoting to different departments while working as a COO. 

As per a study by McKinsey, in practice, only a third of a COO’s time should be spent on the day-to-day running of operations. The rest should be dedicated to strategic areas like long-term projects, people and talent development, and organizational health​.

How Should a COO Allocate Their Bandwidth (Time)? Time Allocation Pie Chart

Please Note: The above pie chart illustrates an example breakdown of how a COO might allocate time. However, the actual time split can vary based on the company’s needs and industry. For instance, a tech startup COO might spend more time on growth initiatives, while a manufacturing COO might focus more on process efficiency.

What Skills Are Needed to Become a Successful COO?

To excel as a COO, an individual must bring a blend of soft skills and hard skills to the table. The role is unique because it requires both strategic leadership abilities and tactical operational know-how. You’re managing people and culture on one hand, and analyzing processes and metrics on the other.

In other words, a good COO is both a leader and a doer: someone who can inspire and communicate but also dive into a spreadsheet or project plan and make concrete improvements. 

Here’s a breakdown of key skills in two buckets: soft skills and hard skills!

Soft Skills Required to Become a COO

A COO’s effectiveness heavily depends on strong soft skills – these are the leadership and interpersonal abilities that help in guiding teams and driving change. 

Most Important Soft Skills for a COO:

• Leadership & People Management: The capability to lead large teams, delegate tasks, and develop talent. A COO should be able to rally employees around common goals and build trust across the organization.
• Strategic Thinking: Even though the COO is focused on operations, they must think strategically. This means understanding the broader business strategy and making operational decisions that serve long-term objectives.
• Emotional Intelligence (EQ): High EQ helps COOs in reading the organization’s pulse, empathizing with employee concerns, and managing conflicts with tact. Because COOs often handle internal issues, being attuned to people’s motivations and emotions is crucial.
• Communication Skills: Clear and effective communication – both written and verbal – is a must. COOs spend a lot of time conveying plans to teams, reporting to the CEO/board, and aligning different departments. They must translate complex strategies into understandable tasks for teams and listen actively to feedback.
• Problem Solving and Decision-Making Under Pressure: Operations can be unpredictable. A COO should remain cool-headed and analytical when problems arise, quickly working through solutions. Decisiveness, even with incomplete information, is a valuable skill when time-sensitive issues occur.
• Conflict Resolution & Negotiation: As a bridge between departments, the COO often mediates disagreements or resource conflicts. Strong negotiation skills help in finding win-win solutions – for example, negotiating budgets between departments or setting priorities when everything seems urgent.
• Adaptability & Change Leadership: Embracing change and leading change are important. COOs frequently implement new processes or structures; their ability to guide the organization through change (and overcome resistance to change) can determine success or failure of initiatives.
• Team Empowerment & Delegation: A great COO doesn’t micromanage everything – they empower their team leaders. Knowing how to delegate effectively while still monitoring key outcomes is a balance that allows the COO to scale their impact.
• Stakeholder Empathy: Understanding the needs and concerns of various stakeholders (employees, customers, suppliers) is an imperative part of chief operating officer job description. For instance, a COO might use empathy to adjust operations in a way that improves employee work-life balance or to ensure customers get timely delivery despite internal constraints. 

Learn soft skills with upGrad’s free courses. Whether you want to improve your time and productivity management skills, interpersonal communication and public speaking skills, problem-solving skills, or you just want to get better at business communication, our courses have something for everyone. 

If you’re a mid-level executive aspiring to apply for senior leadership roles, and your ultimate goal is to become a COO, you must enrol in upGrad’s Advanced Program In Strategic Management For Business Excellence. This 9-month course will earn you a certification from IIM Lucknow and help you understand methodologies to navigate uncertainties effectively for desired outcomes.

Hard Skills Required to Become a COO

Alongside soft skills, COOs need solid hard skills – the technical, analytical, and domain-specific abilities that allow them to manage complex operations. 

Most Important Hard Skills for a COO:

• Financial Acumen: COOs should understand financial statements, budgeting, and unit economics. They often analyze how operational decisions impact the bottom line (for example, understanding how a process change might increase margins). Many COOs have a background in finance or at least are comfortable working with numbers​.
• Operational Excellence: This can range from supply chain management and Lean/Six Sigma methodologies for efficiency, to project management skills for overseeing large initiatives. Essentially, a COO must be able to design and refine processes for maximum efficiency.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: COOs routinely work with data and metrics, from performance KPIs to market research. Interpreting data dashboards or reports and making decisions based on data analysis is critical. Comfort with business analytics tools or at least with the concepts of data analysis is often required.
• Project Management: Many operational improvements or strategic initiatives are run as projects. A COO who is adept at project management will ensure initiatives have clear timelines, owners, and deliverables. Meeting deadlines and budgets for projects often falls under the COO’s oversight.
• RevOps Understanding: Knowledge of Revenue Operations – aligning sales, marketing, and customer success processes is critical. While not all COOs deal with RevOps, it’s increasingly common especially in tech companies.
• Technology & Systems Proficiency: Familiarity with the major systems the company uses (ERP software, CRM tools, productivity and collaboration tools). Also, keeping abreast of new technologies (like automation, AI, cloud services) that could be used to improve operations falls under the COO job description.
• Compliance & Legal Awareness: Operational decisions must comply with laws and industry regulations (e.g., labor laws, data protection, safety standards). A COO should have a working knowledge of relevant compliance requirements or at least coordinate closely with legal/compliance teams to ensure operations don’t defy rules.
• Vendor & Partner Management: Operations often involve external vendors (suppliers, contractors, service providers). Negotiating contracts, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring service-level agreements (SLAs) are met are part of a COO’s purview. Skills in procurement and outsourcing management fall here.
• Change Management Frameworks: Knowing formal change management approaches can be helpful (for example, Kotter’s 8-step change model or ADKAR). Implementing big changes – like an organizational restructuring or process overhaul – can be systematically managed using such frameworks to ensure employee buy-in and smooth transition.
• M&A and Integration Readiness (in growth-stage or enterprise organizations): In companies that grow through acquisitions, a COO often plays a major role in integrating acquired businesses operationally. Understanding how to merge systems, teams, and processes after a merger or acquisition is a valuable skill for COOs in large or rapidly growing companies.

What Are the Qualifications and Educational Background of a COO?

COO Qualifications and Background: Typically, a COO’s background includes a mix of formal education, extensive work experience, and a track record of leadership. Many COOs also have cross-functional exposure – meaning they’ve worked in different departments or industries, which helps them manage a broad range of company operations.

Let’s break down the typical qualifications for a COO into a few categories!

COO Educational Background

Most COOs hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and many have advanced degrees. Common educational pathways include:

• Bachelor’s Degree: A B.A. in Business Administration, Management, or related fields is very prevalent. Some COOs come from more specialized backgrounds (engineering, finance, etc.), but they often supplement that with business education later. 
• Master’s Degree (MBA or equivalent): A significant number of COOs have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or similar advanced degree. An MBA program offers training in strategy, finance, operations, and leadership – all relevant to a COO’s job. 
• Industry-Specific Education: Depending on the field, certain educational backgrounds might be particularly useful. For instance, a COO in a financial services firm might benefit from a finance/accounting background, whereas a tech company COO might have a background in computer science or engineering coupled with business education.
• Continuous Learning: Beyond formal degrees, COOs often pursue executive courses, workshops, or certifications throughout their career. Given the nature of business challenges, learning never stops at the COO level.

Extensive Work Experience

Experience is arguably the most important qualification for a COO. Companies look for candidates who have proven themselves in leadership roles over many years through different roles, as listed below:

• Progressive Management Roles: Future COOs often start in entry-level roles and work their way up to middle management and then senior management. Along this journey, they might manage a single team, then a department, then multiple departments. For example, a person might start as a project manager, get promoted to operations manager, director of operations, VP of Operations, and eventually COO.  
• Cross-Functional Experience: Many successful COOs have worked in multiple functional areas during their career. For instance, they may have spent a few years in finance and a few in marketing or product development. Some companies deliberately rotate high-potential managers through different departments as a grooming process for future COOs.
• Industry Experience: Depth of experience in the company’s industry is often expected. A COO needs to understand the industry dynamics, whether it’s manufacturing, tech, banking, or retail. For example, a hospital COO would be expected to have significant experience in healthcare administration. On the other hand, some companies bring in COOs from different industries for fresh perspectives.
• Years of Experience: As mentioned, 10-15+ years of work experience is the norm. In fact, a recent survey by Indeed found that employers often seek candidates with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience for COO roles​, and many COO job descriptions specify even more (15 or 20 years).
• Notable Achievements: With experience, companies also look for tangible achievements – perhaps the candidate led a major project rollout, turned around an underperforming division, or successfully scaled operations during a high-growth phase. These accomplishments demonstrate that the person can deliver results in a role as demanding as COO.

Cross-Functional Expertise

This deserves special emphasis. A COO is often called a generalist executive, meaning they have to understand all key functions of the business. 

Specific qualifications that highlight cross-functional expertise:

• Rotational Programs: Some aspiring COOs take part in leadership rotational programs (often offered in large companies or conglomerates). These programs rotate employees through different departments. The outcome is a well-rounded knowledge of the business.
• Project Leadership: Leading interdisciplinary projects can also build cross-functional skills. For example, spearheading a new product launch involves coordinating R&D, marketing, supply chain, and customer support. If a candidate has led such initiatives, it’s a strong indicator of cross-functional ability.
• Consulting or General Management Background: People who come from management consulting or have held General Manager roles (running an entire business unit) may have an easier transition to COO because those roles inherently require cross-functional oversight (strategy, operations, finance, all together). 
• Understanding Different Business Models: If you aim to be a COO, it can help if you expose yourself to different business models (e.g., subscription services vs. manufacturing vs. retail). This might come from working in different industries or segments. It prepares you to be flexible and creative in running operations under various scenarios.

Proven Leadership Track Record

Companies hiring a COO will look for evidence that the candidate can lead at a high level and drive results. 

Some qualifications or indicators of a strong leadership track record include:

• Prior Executive Roles: If someone has already served as a Vice President or other C-suite executive (CFO, CTO), it shows they have operated at the executive level. Many COOs previously held titles like VP of Operations, VP of Strategy, or General Manager, proving they can handle significant responsibility.
• References & Reputation: At the COO level, reputation matters. Often, board members or CEOs hire a COO based on industry reputation – is this person known for turning around troubled operations? Do people speak of them as a great leader/mentor? Having strong professional references or endorsements can be a big plus.
• Leadership Initiatives: Perhaps the candidate championed a major organizational initiative (like implementing OKRs company-wide). Successful leadership in such soft initiatives (not just hitting hard metrics) demonstrates the ability to influence and guide an organization’s culture and effectiveness.
• Team-Building: A history of building strong teams and grooming successors. For example, a COO candidate might point out that many of their former team members moved up to leadership roles – a sign that they know how to mentor and elevate others.
• Crisis Management: A COO often has to steer the ship during tough times, so a proven ability to stay effective under pressure is highly valued. If, in previous roles, they averted a crisis successfully (say, drastically cutting costs to save a company during a recession while keeping the business intact), it’s a strong qualification.

Also Read: Top 5 Types of Leadership in Management

Industry-Specific Knowledge

While broad expertise is key, there are nuances in each industry that a COO must grasp. Thus, qualifications often include:

• Understanding of Market and Customers: Beyond internal operations, a COO should understand the market context – who the customers are and what operational challenges are typical in that space. For example, a retail industry COO must understand seasonality and supply chain logistics for global retail, whereas a software industry COO must understand agile development cycles and SaaS customer support operations.
• Relevant Technical Knowledge: In some cases, industry knowledge includes technical know-how. For example, a COO of a pharmaceutical company might not be a scientist, but they should understand the drug development process and regulatory approval steps.
• Networking in the Industry: Many COOs are active in industry associations or networks, which keeps their knowledge fresh and demonstrates commitment to the field. 

Certifications (Optional)

Formal certifications are not usually required for a COO (unlike, say, a CPA for an accountant), but certain certifications can enhance a COO’s skill set or credibility. 

Some examples include:

• Project Management Professional (PMP): This certification could be useful if the COO has a background in project management. It signals strong project execution skills.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt: In manufacturing or operations-heavy industries, a Six Sigma certification shows mastery of process improvement techniques. A COO with this background might be particularly adept at quality control and efficiency initiatives.
• CPA or CFA: If the COO’s path was through finance, they might have a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst). While these are more relevant to CFO roles, a COO with financial certifications has demonstrable financial expertise.
• Industry-Specific Certs: Some industries have their own credentials (e.g., a healthcare administration certification or a supply chain certification like APICS CPIM). These can be pluses but are rarely a must-have for COO positions.
• Executive Leadership Courses: Completing renowned executive programs, such as those at Harvard Business School, although not certifications per se, can be a feather in the cap. They show a commitment to continuing education at the executive level.

Also Read: MBA vs CFA: Difference Between MBA and CFA in 2024

Types of COOs: Which One Should You Aim to Become?

➡️ Did you know? According to an HBR (Harvard Business Review) study, companies usually hire a COO to fulfill one (or more) of seven key needs:

• The Executor
• The Change Agent
• The Mentor
• The Other Half (CEO’s Foil)
• The Partner
• The Heir Apparent
• The MVP (Most Valuable Player)

These categories – the different types of COOs – often overlap in practice because a real COO may wear multiple hats. For example, one could be both an Executor and a Change Agent or a CEO’s Foil who is also the Heir Apparent. 

Now, let’s explore each type of COO in a bit more detail, including typical responsibilities and scenarios for each. As you read, think about your own skills and temperament – which of these descriptions resonates most with the role you’d like to play?

The Executor (Operational COO)

The Executor COO Job Description: The Executor COO is the classic role most people think of – the operational guru who ensures the CEO’s vision is implemented efficiently. If the CEO is focusing outward on investors and innovation, the Executor is focusing inward on business execution.

• Primary Mission: Oversee day-to-day operations and deliver results. This COO thrives on getting things done and hitting targets. They turn strategy into checklists, timelines, and KPIs.
• Key Responsibilities: All aspects of internal operations – from production quotas to service delivery metrics – fall to the Executor. They manage performance rigorously, optimize processes, and prioritize tasks that the CEO might consider too detailed or mundane​.

The Change Agent

The Change Agent COO Job Description: The Change Agent COO is brought on to lead a major strategic initiative or transformation within the company. This could be a turnaround from poor performance, a reorganization, or a big expansion into new markets. The CEO entrusts the COO to drive this specific change because it’s too complex and all-consuming for the CEO alone to handle.

• Primary Mission: Spearhead and execute a defined change agenda. The Change Agent has a clear mandate – example, “Fix the company’s underperforming division” or “Integrate and streamline our global operations” or “Lead the digital transformation of our business.”
• Key Responsibilities: They often have authority that cuts across traditional boundaries. For instance, they might overhaul processes, implement new systems, and shake up structures. Their role is highly project-focused – once the transformation is achieved, their role might evolve or sometimes even phase out if it was meant to be temporary.

The Mentor

The Mentor Type Chief Operating Officer Job Description: The Mentor COO is an experienced hand brought in to coach and support a CEO who might lack certain experience. This often happens in family businesses (a seasoned outsider COO mentoring the next-generation CEO) or startups (where a young founder CEO benefits from a veteran COO’s counsel).

• Primary Mission: Help the CEO grow into the role and ensure the company doesn’t suffer from the CEO’s inexperience. The Mentor COO provides guidance, sounding-board advice, and sometimes tough love to the CEO while also managing operations.
• Key Responsibilities: This COO will handle many operational duties, but with an eye towards teaching. They might explicitly train the CEO in areas like operational planning, performance management, or how to handle internal crises. They also often mentor other members of the leadership team to professionalize company management.

The Other Half (CEO’s Foil)

Chief Operating Officer Job Description: Sometimes, a CEO has a particular style or set of strengths that need balancing. The “Other Half” COO (also called the CEO’s foil) is chosen to complement the CEO’s skills or temperament​. This pairing is about filling the gaps – personality-wise or skill-wise – that the CEO has.

• Primary Mission: Provide complementary strengths so that together with the CEO, they form a complete leadership team. If the CEO is overly optimistic, the COO might be pragmatic. If the CEO is introverted, the COO might be more people-oriented. If the CEO focuses only on product development, the COO might focus on customer service and execution.
   
• Key Responsibilities: This depends on the CEO’s gaps. For example, if a CEO is a visionary but poor with follow-through, the COO will handle execution. If the CEO is not detail-oriented, the COO will dive into details. If the CEO is great with numbers but not with people, the COO might take on more of the culture and team-building tasks.

The Partner (Co-CEO Style)

The Partner COO Job Description: In a few companies, the CEO and COO operate almost as co-leaders. The Partner COO is essentially a co-CEO in all but the title. They share leadership responsibilities more or less equally, often dividing the company’s management between them.

• Primary Mission: To jointly run the company alongside the CEO, with clear domains for each or a very collaborative approach. The Partner COO is not subordinate in the traditional sense but rather an equal collaborator, ensuring all aspects of the business are led.
• Key Responsibilities: The CEO and Partner COO might split roles by functions or markets. For instance, a common division is that the CEO handles external-facing matters (investors, major clients, public relations) and the COO handles internal operations – but in Partner mode, both are deeply involved in strategy and big decisions.

The Heir Apparent

The Heir COO Job Description: The Heir Apparent COO is one who is being groomed to become the next CEO. In many large companies, the COO position is used as a testing ground for a would-be CEO. The idea is to give the person broad exposure and ensure they are ready to seamlessly take over when the current CEO steps down.

• Primary Mission: Learn and prepare. While doing the job of running operations, the Heir Apparent is also soaking up as much knowledge as possible about all aspects of the business, building relationships with key stakeholders (board members, major clients), and often working on special projects that round out their experience.
• Key Responsibilities: In addition to the usual operational duties, this COO might take on additional projects to fill any experience gaps. For example, if they come from a finance background but need more marketing exposure before becoming CEO, the board might have them oversee a marketing initiative as COO. They’re often involved in strategy development to ensure they have the strategic mindset needed for a CEO.

The MVP (Most Valuable Player)

The MVP COO Job Description: Sometimes, a company has a superstar executive who they fear might leave for a competitor or get poached for a CEO role elsewhere. To retain this “Most Valuable Player”, the company creates or offers the COO position as a reward and new challenge​. In this case, the COO role is less about a specific operational need and more about keeping top talent.

• Primary Mission: Step up into a broader role and continue delivering value, now at an enterprise level. The MVP-turned-COO is expected to bring their high performance to the entire organization, not just their former department.
• Key Responsibilities: This can vary depending on where the MVP came from. For instance, if the person was a stellar Head of Sales, as COO, they might initially focus on scaling sales and improving related operations company-wide. Over time, they’ll need to extend their impact across other functions as well. 

Which Type of COO Should You Aim to Become?

For aspiring COOs reading this, it’s useful to identify which type of COO role aligns with your career path and aspirations:

Here are a few considerations to guide you in understanding who you truly are and which type of COO position will complement your leadership style the most:

• Assess Your Skills and Temperament: Take an honest look at your own strengths and weaknesses. Are you naturally operational and detail-focused (Executor)? Do you excel at rallying people around big changes (Change Agent)? Are you a nurturer of talent (Mentor) or more of a complementary second-in-command (Other Half)? Understanding yourself is the first step in identifying a suitable COO role. 
• Consider Your Career Goals: Do you eventually want to become CEO? If so, you might aim for Heir Apparent roles or Change Agent roles that put you in the spotlight fixing big company-wide issues (which gets you noticed by boards). If you prefer being the power behind the throne without the external pressures of a CEO, you might be very happy as a long-term Executor or Other Half.
• Match to the Organization’s Needs: The right type of COO to be is also a function of the company you join. You might have the ability to wear multiple hats, but if a company clearly needs a Change Agent at this moment, and you have those skills, leaning into that will be good for your success. Conversely, joining as an MVP-type COO when the company actually needed a hardcore Executor could lead to mismatch. 

So, when evaluating a COO opportunity, ask yourself: what problem is the company trying to solve by hiring a COO? If it aligns with a hat you can wear, that’s a good sign. 

• Keep in Mind You Can Evolve: Your type as a COO can change or expand. For instance, you might start as a Change Agent (because the company was in crisis) and once the turnaround is done, evolve into more of an Executor or Partner as the company enters a steady growth phase. It’s okay if you don’t fit neatly into one box forever. Many COOs play multiple roles over time. 

How Much Does a Chief Operating Officer in India Make? COO Salary Insights

Average Annual COO Salary in India in 2025: INR 37.8L

The COO, as you now know, is one of the top executives in a company, and accordingly, it’s one of the best-compensated positions. In India, COO salaries can vary widely depending on the industry, location, and the individual’s experience. Let’s break down some salary insights for COOs in India.

COO Salary by Experience

Experience plays a huge role in determining a COO’s pay. As we’ve discussed, most COOs have a decade or more of experience, so even the low experience bracket for COO is relatively high. 

Here’s a simplified breakdown of COO salaries by experience:

Source: AmbitionBox

COO Salary by Industry

COO pay can differ by industry, reflecting different norms, profitability levels, and demand for talent. 

Here’s how some industries compare:

Source: AmbitionBox

COO Salary by Geography

Location within India can influence executive salaries due to the cost of living and the concentration of corporate headquarters in certain cities. Major metros like Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, and Chennai are typical hubs for COOs. 

Let’s compare COO salary across these metro regions:

Source: Glassdoor

COO Salary in India vs The World

It’s interesting to see how COO salaries in India compare with those in other countries, including USA, UK, Germany, Canada, and Australia.

*Please Note: The global COO salaries can vary based on fluctuations in the currency conversion charges in real time. 

Source: Glassdoor, AmbitionBox

How to Become a COO? Step-by-Step Guide

Reaching the position of Chief Operating Officer is the culmination of a journey that involves education, career progression, skill development, and networking. There’s no fixed formula (people become COOs via various paths), but the following step-by-step guide outlines a general roadmap to aim for a COO role.

Key Steps to Becoming a COO:

1. Earn a Relevant Bachelor’s Degree – Build a solid educational foundation in business or a related field.
2. Gain Early Work Experience in Operations/Management – Start your career in roles that touch the core operations of a business. Once you graduate, seek entry-level roles that allow you to learn how companies run. 
3. Pursue Advanced Education (MBA or Equivalent) – Consider getting an MBA or other relevant postgraduate degree to accelerate your move into leadership.
   While not every COO has an MBA, a Master of Business Administration is very common and can significantly boost your career progression
4. Move into Mid-Level Management – Climb into roles where you manage teams and take on larger responsibilities. With solid education and a few years of experience, aim for managerial positions. This could be Operations Manager, Project Manager, Plant Manager, or Business Unit Manager – the titles vary. 
5. Build a Track Record of Leadership & Results – Demonstrate success in leading large teams or important initiatives. As you advance, perhaps into a Director or Senior Manager role, the scale of your responsibilities grows. You might oversee multiple departments or entire regions of operations.
6. Develop Cross-Functional Expertise – Ensure you understand all key areas of the business, not just one department. To be an effective COO, you need a holistic view. This means by the time you’re being considered for COO, you should ideally have had exposure to or worked closely with all major functions: operations, finance, sales, marketing, HR, IT, etc. 
7. Network and Find Mentors – Build relationships with industry peers and seek mentorship from seasoned executives. Many COO positions (especially in larger companies) are filled through recommendations and internal promotions, not just job postings. Attend industry conferences, join professional associations, and connect with other operations professionals. 
8. Seek Senior Leadership Roles – When you feel prepared, position yourself for a COO role (or similar EVP/SVP role that could lead to COO). This step is about making the leap. 

Depending on the company size and your path, you might first step into a VP of Operations or Head of Operations role if you haven’t already, which is essentially a COO in smaller organizations. In a large company, you might become a Senior Vice President (SVP) overseeing multiple operational divisions. 

Which Companies Hire COOs in India? Top Organizations to Explore

In India, virtually any sizable organization that has grown beyond a certain point will consider having a Chief Operating Officer. The COO role is common in large corporations, fast-scaling startups, and even some non-profits or educational institutions. 

If you’re exploring where COOs are typically hired, this section is for you.

Top Organizations that Hire COOs in India

Future Job Outlook for COO Roles: Growth in India and Worldwide

As businesses evolve and the global economy changes, the role of the COO is also adapting in India as well as abroad. 

Here are the common trends and factors influencing the future of COO roles:

• Financial Services and Energy: These sectors traditionally have a high prevalence of COOs. A few years ago, a McKinsey study noted that about 48% of leading companies in the financial and energy sectors had a COO – higher than other sectors​. This suggests COOs are very much in demand in these industries, likely because of their complexity and regulatory demands. 
• Manufacturing and Logistics: Industry 4.0 (the fourth industrial revolution) is changing manufacturing with IoT and automation. COOs in manufacturing will be focused on smart factories and supply chain resilience. 
• Technology Sector: In tech firms, especially fast-scaling startups, COOs are often the steady hand, ensuring the rocket ship doesn’t fall apart mid-flight. As the tech sector matures in India (more unicorns, more focus on profitability), COOs might become more common. 
• Retail and Consumer Companies: These companies are focusing on omnichannel strategies (integrating online and offline), which adds complexity. COOs in retail must integrate e-commerce logistics with brick-and-mortar operations. The future might also involve dealing with data analytics to predict demand and manage inventory – roles COOs or Operations heads might spearhead.
• Healthcare Organizations: Hospitals and healthcare providers are becoming larger and more corporate in India. The need for COOs in hospital chains is growing to ensure quality and efficiency across facilities. Additionally, pharma companies and biotech startups need operations leadership to manage R&D pipelines, manufacturing, and distribution.

Impact of Digitization, AI, and Post-Pandemic Shifts

➡️ Here’s a fun fact for you: According to a 2024 PwC Pulse Survey, 55% of COOs say AI is one of the most important digital investments for transforming their operations function​.

What are the other technological shifts, you ask? Here’s a detailed breakdown!

• Digitization & AI: Operations are increasingly driven by technology – from automation on factory floors to AI-driven analytics for decision making. This means future COOs will be expected to be tech-savvy and understand how to deploy AI and other emerging tech to improve efficiency and effectiveness. 

AI might handle routine decision-making, freeing COOs to focus on strategic and human aspects but also requiring them to oversee AI ethics and integration. We might see COOs leading initiatives like adopting machine learning to optimize supply chains, using robotic process automation in back-office operations, and dealing with AI challenges.

• Focus on Data and Cybersecurity: Future COOs will likely collaborate closely with CIOs (Chief Information Officers) or even absorb some overlapping responsibilities. Ensuring data-driven decision-making becomes ingrained in operations is a task COOs are taking on. Also, protecting operational continuity against cyber threats could fall under a COO’s purview.
• Post-Pandemic Operational Models: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global operations massively. Many companies had to pivot to remote work, adjust supply chains, and rethink business continuity. COOs played a crucial role in those adaptations. 

In the aftermath, companies are building more resilient operations – diversification of suppliers and flexible work arrangements. Future COOs will carry forward these lessons, ensuring their operations can withstand shocks. This may also give COOs a louder voice in strategic planning as boards have seen how critical operational agility is.

• Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance): Stakeholders worldwide are pushing companies to be more sustainable. A lot of sustainability initiatives (reducing carbon footprint, ethical sourcing, waste reduction) fall to operations to execute. Expect COOs to be champions of green operations – optimizing logistics for lower emissions, implementing circular economy principles in manufacturing (recycling and reusing materials).

Conclusion

The Chief Operating Officer job description is anything but one-size-fits-all. As the person responsible for translating strategy into action, the COO is often the steady hand behind a company’s momentum. From running day-to-day operations to shaping long-term change, the COO sits at a critical intersection of execution, leadership, and vision.

If you're aiming to become a COO, your path will be defined by experience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of how businesses actually run — not just in theory, but in real time, under real pressure. Build expert skills through upGrad’s management courses now.

For any further career-related guidance, you can book a free consultation call with upGrad’s experts or visit your nearest upGrad offline center.

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