Chief Operating Officer

AccuWeather Careers•State College, PA

About The Position

AccuWeather is searching for a Chief Operating Officer to join its Leadership team. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be responsible for developing a cohesive strategic operational vision and execution plan to drive superior performance, efficiency, and automation across the organization. This role is pivotal in ensuring AccuWeather's operational excellence, enhancing productivity, and driving overall organizational success. The COO will oversee, plan, organize, staff, and execute all operational activities across all business units. This includes process improvements, workflow automation, performance monitoring, team development, budget management, and risk management. The COO will play a crucial collaborative role working cross-functionally with members of the Executive Team and other departments such as IT, Finance, HR, and Marketing to ensure seamless integration of processes and strategies. This person will have the key responsibility for leveraging technology and innovative practices to enhance efficiency, streamline processes, and drive overall operational excellence. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic leader with strong business acumen, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a deep understanding of operational principles and practices.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field; MBA strongly preferred.
15+ years of experience in leading operations management, with a focus on process improvement and automation.
Proven track record of successfully implementing automation technologies in a corporate environment.
Strong analytical skills with a data-driven mindset.
Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
Experience in project management and change management methodologies.
Deep understanding of operations principles and practices, capable of turning strategies into actionable operational plans.
High emotional intelligence and confidence level.
Ability to travel as required, approximately 5–10%.

Nice To Haves

AI Adopter and Implementer: Proactively seeks and integrates new technology advances, especially AI, to streamline operations and create or improve products from existing tasks.
Adaptability: Ability to quickly adapt to changing operational conditions and emerging trends in the industry.
Critical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically about operational challenges.
Customer-Centric Approach: Deep understanding of customer needs and preferences to ensure operational processes deliver optimal customer satisfaction.
Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with operations management tools, ERP systems, and data analytics platforms.
Follow Through: Ensures that operational plans and strategies are executed effectively.
Organization Skills: Highly organized with excellent time management skills, and a quick thinker with a keen eye for detail.
Collaborative: Works well with key individuals across the organization.
Continuous Improvement: Works to continually improve and innovate operational processes.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement long-term operational strategies that align with the company's goals and vision.
Participate and provide leadership with the executive management team on key planning issues and important business decisions.
Identify opportunities for process improvements and automation to enhance productivity and streamline operations.
Demonstrate strong business acumen and an entrepreneurial spirit to drive operational excellence.
Develop and maintain organizational knowledge of markets, products, customers, and competition required to achieve business unit goals.
Oversee the assessment and redesign of workflows to incorporate advanced automation technologies, including AI.
Lead initiatives to implement software and tools that automate repetitive tasks and improve operational efficiency.
Work closely with IT, finance, HR, marketing, and other departments to ensure seamless integration of automated processes.
Liaise with functional and departmental managers to understand all necessary aspects and needs of operational development, and to ensure they are fully informed of operational objectives, purposes, and achievements.
Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement across teams.
Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, partners, and customers.
Establish KPIs to measure the effectiveness of automated workflows and operational performance.
Utilize data analytics to drive decision-making and optimize operations.
Ensure quality control of all company output as it pertains to delivery of services.
Ensure activities meet and integrate with organizational requirements for quality management, health and safety, legal stipulations, environmental policies, and general duty of care.
Develop and manage the operational budget across all business units, ensuring resource allocation aligns with strategic and automation initiatives.
Monitor financial performance and implement cost-saving measures where applicable.
Work with direct reports to prepare business plans for each business unit, to include profit, revenue and sales goals, personnel budget, and investment in research, development, and marketing.
Build and mentor a high-performing operations team, promoting a culture of innovation and accountability.
Provide training and support to staff on new technologies and automated processes.
Inspire and manage the team, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
Identify potential risks associated with operations and automation and implement mitigation strategies.
Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
Take charge in high-priority crises, providing decisive direction and communication across the organization.