Most companies hiring a COO don’t actually have a clear picture of what they want the role to do. This makes COO recruitment particularly challenging.
We didn’t either at the start.
On paper it sounded simple — bring in someone to run operations and support the CEO. In reality, that definition is too broad to be useful, and that’s where things started to break down.
The Role Is Not as Clear as It Looks
What became obvious pretty quickly is that “COO” can mean very different things depending on the business.
Some candidates we spoke to were strong on process optimisation and internal structure. Others had experience scaling teams and operations across multiple regions. A few leaned more commercial, focused on execution against growth targets.
All of them looked good on paper.
The problem was they weren’t interchangeable.
That’s where we lost time early on — we were speaking to capable people, just not the right fit for what we actually needed.
Where Things Started to Go Off Track
We initially assumed the right profile would surface if we generated enough interest.
It didn’t.
What we saw instead:
- Candidates who were solid operationally, but hadn’t worked at the scale we needed
- Profiles closer to senior operations managers than true COOs
- Some strong operators who lacked commercial awareness
There was nothing wrong with these candidates — they just didn’t align with what the role actually required.
And at the same time, the people we really wanted to speak to weren’t applying at all.
Why the Usual Approach Falls Short
Posting the role created activity, but not progress.
The stronger candidates were already embedded in leadership teams, often responsible for scaling operations, delivery, and internal infrastructure. They weren’t actively looking, and they weren’t responding to job ads.
That was the turning point.
We realised this wasn’t about filtering applicants — it was about identifying and engaging the right people directly.
What Worked Better
Once we shifted approach, the process became much more focused.
Instead of waiting for candidates, we started looking at:
- Companies with similar operational complexity
- Leaders who had scaled teams, systems, and execution
- People who had actually built structure without slowing growth
From there, it was about engaging those individuals discreetly and understanding how they operated in practice, not just what their CV said.
It’s a slower start, but it leads to a much stronger shortlist.
The Netherlands Makes It Even Tighter
The market in the Netherlands adds another layer.
At this level, the pool of experienced operational leaders is relatively small, especially for businesses that are scaling or operating across multiple markets.
A lot of companies are looking for the same profile:
- Someone who can improve internal processes
- Scale operations without adding unnecessary complexity
- Work closely with the CEO while still owning execution
That combination is hard to find, and even harder to attract without a clear value proposition.
What We’d Do Differently
If we were starting again, we’d spend more time upfront getting specific.
Things like:
- Is this role focused on execution or strategy?
- How hands-on does the COO need to be?
- What does success actually look like in the first year?
- Where are the real gaps in the business right now?
Without that clarity, it’s very easy to drift.
Final Thought
Hiring a COO isn’t about finding someone who “does operations.” It’s about finding the right operator for your specific stage, structure, and growth plans.
Once that clicked for us, the process became much more straightforward.
If you’re working through something similar, we found this breakdown useful — it explains how a more structured COO search tends to work:
https://recruit-mogul.com/nl/roles/coo/