Chief Operating Officer

Role Overview

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as the operational leader of Input Output Group (IO) and collaborates closely with the CEO to manage company operations. This role oversees the foundational business infrastructure crucial for organizational planning, decision-making, performance measurement, delivery, and continuous improvement.

Operational Transformation

IO is transitioning from a centralized operational approach to one where individual business units operate with greater independence, supported by shared enterprise systems. The COO leads this transition by designing and implementing adaptive, AI-driven systems that replace ad hoc, person-dependent workflows and enable scalable operations.

Leadership and Collaboration

The COO is responsible for Enterprise Operations, ICT, AI, People, Finance, Legal, and Venture Studio functions. They partner closely with the CEO and C-suite leaders including CTO, Chief Product Officer, Chief Scientist, and CFO to develop and execute organizational strategy. Additionally, the COO aids in rebuilding IO’s engineering and delivery capabilities by introducing rigorous operational disciplines aligned with elite software companies.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and continuously evolve IO's operational model encompassing structures, systems, and processes to maintain coherence across diverse units and locations.
• Develop frameworks enabling functional autonomy while securing enterprise-wide alignment.
• Act as the primary operational decision-maker with authority over facilities and M&A costs.
• Manage IO's active projects, priorities, and stopping decisions effectively.
• Lead the Executive Committee by facilitating meeting agendas, decision-making, and accountability follow-up.
• Set a results-oriented meeting philosophy focused on addressing performance gaps and solutions.
• Collaborate with the CEO on internal communication strategies for effective change adoption.
• Design and deploy the organization's business operating system, including governance, workflows, and metrics that support scalable, AI-enabled operations.
• Oversee transition from informal processes to systematic infrastructure that harnesses institutional knowledge and feedback loops.
• Define and implement KPIs to guide decision-making and measure organizational performance transparently.
• Support the engineering and delivery rebuild with the CTO by importing best practices in delivery discipline, product-engineering collaboration, and technical hiring.
• Manage enterprise services including People, ICT, Finance, and Legal, ensuring SLA adherence and operational excellence.
• Set IO's AI strategy for operational workflows alongside the VP of AI and Data, adopting cybernetic principles for self-regulating systems.
• Collaborate with the Chief People Officer to attract, develop, and maintain top talent while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Oversee financial stewardship, risk management, legal compliance, and information security at enterprise level.
• Run the Venture Studio’s operating model, ensuring resource access and scalability for incubated ventures.
• Act as the CEO’s peer in operational leadership and represent IO in high-level governance, regulatory, and partnership meetings.

Key Competencies

• Oversees cross-functional operational domains and multiple senior leaders.
• Shapes broad strategic initiatives with CEO and President, independently steering operational policies and resource allocation.
• Maintains enterprise-level budget oversight with approval authority for major expenditures.
• Collaborates with C-suite peers to align leadership standards and drive organizational growth.
• Strong expertise in systems thinking, KPI-driven management, AI integration, and operational leadership across various enterprise functions.
• Ability to design governance structures, risk evaluation frameworks, and operating rhythms adopted by large organizations.
• Proficient in managing globally distributed, asynchronous teams with high emotional intelligence and servant-leadership qualities.
• Exceptional judgement in handling confidential and strategically sensitive matters.

Qualifications and Experience

• Extensive executive leadership experience, preferably at C-suite level, with a comprehensive functional portfolio.
• Proven operational leadership in engineering-focused companies across industries such as software, hardware, or chemicals.