Who should COO report to?

Asked by: Pearl Schamberger  |  Last update: November 15, 2025
Score: 5/5 (42 votes)

COOs typically report directly to the CEO. They are often the second-highest-ranking executives in the company and are responsible for executing the CEO's strategic vision.

What is higher than a chief operating officer?

In some companies, the Managing Director is the highest-ranking executive, similar to a CEO, while in others, the COO might be higher. However, in many cases, the COO is second in command, with the Managing Director overseeing specific business units or regions.

Does the COO report to the MD?

The role in brief...

The COO reports directly to the Managing Director, and works in close partnership with them. A member of the Senior Leadership Team, (SLT) and usually a member of the Agency Board. They may lead a separate Operations Board/Team.

Who is right under the COO?

In most cases, general managers are below COOs in a company's leadership hierarchy. Depending on the specific tasks and duties assigned to the general manager, they might report directly to the COO or to another intermediary leadership employee, like an operations manager.

What is the next position after COO?

C-suite is the term used to describe the company's top tier leadership positions. These positions are known as C-suite executives or C-suite leaders, and the most common ones are the chief executive officer (CEO), chief operating officer (COO), chief financial officer (CFO), and chief information officer (CIO).

Do You Need a COO? | Geoff Donaker

25 related questions found

Who reports to the chief business officer?

Reporting directly to the Chief Business Officer is the Director of Fiscal Services, the Director of Maintenance and Operations, and Printing Supervisor.

Who is the most powerful person in a corporation?

The CEO (Chief Executive Officer) is the highest-ranking individual in a company, responsible for formulating business objectives and making strategic decisions.

Who does a COO usually report to?

COOs typically report directly to the CEO. They are often the second-highest-ranking executives in the company and are responsible for executing the CEO's strategic vision.

Does a chief of staff have direct reports?

The chief of staff may not have any direct reports, operating as a team of one, or they may manage one or more executive assistants or other members of the office of the CEO.

What is the hierarchy of a COO?

The COO is one level under the CEO and reports to them. The COO's position is not present at all companies. They are more common to companies with a high level of operational activities like manufacturing companies. On a broad level the COO is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the company.

Should HR report to COO or CFO?

In the current business landscape, where people are the key to success, the role of HR within a company is crucial. One important question is where HR should report in the company structure. Among various options, it becomes clear that the best choice is for HR to report directly to the CEO.

Who does Chief Information officer report to?

This is also often a signal to job-hunting CIOs of a progressive organization, recruiters say. "The top four reporting structures for a CIO are to the CEO, COO, CFO, and – at times – the CAO," says Carol Lynn Thistle, managing director at CIO recruiting firm Heller Search Associates.

Does a CMO report to a COO?

The CMO can report to either the CEO or COO.

What is a COO of a company's salary?

How Much Does a COO (Chief Operating Officer) Make in US? The average salary for a COO (Chief Operating Officer) in US is $199,959. The average additional cash compensation for a COO (Chief Operating Officer) in US is $73,950. The average total compensation for a COO (Chief Operating Officer) in US is $273,909.

Who is more powerful, COO or CFO?

The COO is typically higher in the corporate hierarchy than the CFO and VP. While the CFO manages the company's finances, the COO oversees all operations, making the COO's role more encompassing.

Who reports to VP of Operations?

The VP of operations often works closely with executive leaders and the heads of several departments, such as finance, IT, sales and HR. They may have an operations manager or operations associate report directly to them, depending on the structure of the company. This role usually reports directly to the CEO or COO.

Who supports COO?

The COO may have their own teams, and they are often supported by a range of EVPs, VPs, Directors and other senior leaders from the organization.

Who should chief of staff report to?

Your Chief of Staff usually reports to you, the CEO, and has no direct reports. Now, we need to add some critical details to the org chart. There are dotted lines to practically all middle managers, senior leaders, investors, and external partners.

What is the assistant to the COO called?

Executive Assistant to Chief Operating Officer Responsibilities.

What is the position of COO in the organizational chart?

A COO is second in command to the CEO, who is the top executive at a company. While the CEO is responsible for an organization's long-term success, the COO is usually responsible for the day-to-day operations. Therefore, a COO's success hinges on their relationship with the CEO.

Which department does the COO belong to?

The chief operating officer (COO) of a company is second in command, reporting to the chief executive officer (CEO). While a CEO is concerned with long-term business goals, the COO is focused more on implementing company strategies into daily operations to meet objectives.

Can a president report to a COO?

Many companies have presidents, vice presidents, or executives representing different branches or areas of the corporation (like the head of the marketing department or Human Resources) that report to a COO.

What is the most powerful position in a corporation?

The chief executive officer (CEO) is generally considered to be the highest-ranking officer in a company. The president is second in charge. Several variations can take place in corporate governance and structure, however. The roles of both the CEO and the president may be different depending on the company.

Who has ultimate control of a corporation?

Answer and Explanation:

Shareholders, being the corporation's owners have the final say on the long-term plans of the company. The rest of the choices are individuals elected by the shareholders to preserve and grow their interests.

Who has the most authority in a corporation?

A corporation's business and affairs are managed by or under the direction of its board of directors. Although the board has the power to make all decisions on behalf of its corporation, many business decisions are actually made by the corporation's officers.