Chief Operating Officer

Museum of Ice Cream•Chicago, IL

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) is a category-defining experiential entertainment company focused on joy, nostalgia, and play. With a global brand and ambitious expansion plans, MOIC is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to help scale the business. This is a builder role, serving as the CEO's closest strategic partner to translate creative ambition into disciplined execution across operations, people, finance, marketing, production, technology, construction, and guest experience. The ideal candidate thrives in a founder-led, fast-growth environment, bringing structure without bureaucracy and accountability without stifling creativity. MOIC aims to build the infrastructure, leadership alignment, and operational rigor for significant future growth. This is a rare opportunity to shape a distinctive experiential brand alongside a dynamic leadership team.

Requirements

Proven experience helping high-growth organizations scale through strong operational execution and cross-functional leadership.
10+ years leading consumer-facing, hospitality, experiential, retail, entertainment, or similarly dynamic businesses.
Experience operating within founder-led and fast-growth environments.
Strong business acumen across operations, people, finance, marketing, and organizational planning.
Demonstrated ability to improve organizational effectiveness, communication, and execution across teams.
Experience building scalable systems, processes, and operating structures.
Strong partnership orientation with the ability to work closely alongside a founder or CEO.
Effective leader across both HQ and field organizations.
Ability to travel for up to 50% of the time.
Exceptional communicator with strong relationship-building and leadership influence skills.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic thought partner and trusted extension of the CEO, translating founder-led vision into scalable business execution.
Strengthen leadership alignment, communication, and accountability, establishing operating rhythms that support organizational growth.
Drive alignment across all business functions and company priorities, serving as a connective leader across strategy, people, operations, and execution.
Partner across marketing, production, people, finance, operations, construction, technology, creative, and guest experience to establish operating cadences and accountability structures.
Align commercial strategy, operational priorities, and organizational planning, connecting business intelligence, analytics, and cross-functional execution.
Support operational consistency, hospitality excellence, and scalable growth, strengthening systems, training, and processes.
Strengthen internal systems, infrastructure, and operating processes, improving planning, technology enablement, and operational coordination.
Partner on new market launches, flagship openings, and growth initiatives, supporting operational readiness, financial discipline, and brand consistency.
Model MOIC’s mission, vision, and values, supporting leadership development and succession planning.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and ownership, balancing operational excellence with creative ambition.

Benefits

Competitive pay
Annual bonus
401(k)
Stock options
PTO and sick time
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Vision insurance
Perks including Classpass, commuter discounts, employee assistance program, and, of course, unlimited ice cream
Employee development opportunities
16 free museum tickets per year for friends and family, with free entry for self
50% off retail products