Chief Operating Officer - Capital Markets

Cushman & Wakefield • Chicago, IL

4d

About The Position

The Chief Operating Officer, Capital Markets will be responsible for driving the sales and growth strategy of our Americas Capital Markets Business, including Investment Sales, Equity Debt and Structured Finance and the Investor Services/Strategic Accounts team. Reporting directly to the President of Capital Markets, this senior executive position is accountable for translating platform strategy into execution, scaling infrastructure, and partnering with senior leadership. The role functions as second-in-command with independent decision-making responsibility to drive enterprise-level initiatives and operational performance.

Requirements

• Demonstrable experience leading complex operational models across debt, equity, structured finance, and investor-services workflows
• Forge strong partnerships with deal teams, institutional investors, and cross-functional groups
• Ability to operate autonomously and deliver results with minimal oversight, making sound business decisions in line with platform, market, and enterprise objectives.
• Strategic enterprise thinking and operational excellence, with a proven track record of delivering operational transformation and efficiency in Capital Markets or related fields.
• Deep expertise in business planning, resource optimization, process improvement, technology integration, and governance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and manage large-scale projects in complex, matrixed environments.
• Strong financial acumen, analytical and data-driven decision-making skills, and experience with budgeting, cost management, and reporting.
• Experience developing and executing marketing and go-to-market programs, with a deep understanding of the Capital Markets business.
• Excellent relationship management, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Change management and process optimization expertise, with a focus on fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Real Estate, or related field; MBA or other advanced degree strongly preferred.
• 10-15+ years of senior leadership experience in operations, finance, technology, or platform management within institutional capital markets, real-estate finance, or a related field.
• Prior experience in scaling high-transaction-volume businesses, implementing technology/automation, and managing governance, risk, and reporting
• Proven track record of leading large-scale, complex strategic initiatives from concept to execution.
• Ability to travel as required for the position.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational strategy and day-to-day execution for the Americas Capital Markets platform, ensuring alignment with strategic business objectives and driving sustainable growth.
• Develop and implement operational strategies that enhance efficiency, scalability, and service delivery across all Capital Markets business lines, including Investment Sales, Equity Debt & Structured Finance, and Investor Services.
• Partner with senior leadership, technology teams, and market leaders to automate key workflows, enhance CRM and ERP capabilities, and strengthen governance frameworks, ensuring the adoption of advanced technologies to provide a competitive advantage and improve client experience.
• Oversee divisional budgeting, board and leadership reporting, real estate strategy, and event planning for Americas-wide initiatives, ensuring robust financial management and resource optimization.
• Direct cross-functional projects focused on operational efficiency, cost optimization, and scalable infrastructure, including the introduction of nearshore/offshore resources and automation of manual workflows.
• Strengthen cross-functional collaboration through forums, KPIs, and milestone tracking, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies.
• Lead a high-performing operational team, embedding leadership development, succession planning, and accountability structures to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive the strategic integration of relationships between major institutional investor clients and in-market teams, enhancing the platform’s ability to pitch, win, and execute for top clients.
• Establish and report on KPIs and performance dashboards to measure operational effectiveness, sales enablement initiatives, and client retention, providing actionable insights to leadership for strategic decision-making.
• Partner with Practice Group leaders, Market leaders, and internal resources (e.g., TDS, Research, Marketing) to deliver comprehensive solutions that meet client needs and support business growth.
• Oversee IT governance frameworks, cybersecurity measures, and compliance with industry regulations, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of technology and risk management.
• Partner with Americas Markets leadership to execute recruiting and retention strategies, aligning resource allocation to support the growth of the Capital Markets business.

Benefits

• Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work.
• In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees