Chief Operating Officer

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center • New Orleans, LA

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About The Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will lead the execution of organizational strategy through the effective alignment of operational resources, infrastructure, systems, and services. This role establishes operational priorities, performance expectations, and service standards that support organizational objectives and customer commitments. The COO will direct the performance of the organization's operational portfolio, ensuring operational capabilities support current and future business requirements. They will evaluate operational performance and implement strategies to improve organizational effectiveness, service delivery, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. The COO advises the Chief Executive Officer and executive leadership team on operational risks, opportunities, investments, and organizational capabilities, ensuring operational disciplines function as an integrated enterprise that supports business continuity, organizational readiness, and long-term organizational success. Additionally, the COO provides executive leadership for event delivery and guest experience functions, ensuring the successful execution of various events. They will also provide strategic direction and oversight for organizational readiness functions, including public safety, emergency management, and campus logistics, ensuring a safe, secure, and resilient environment. Executive leadership for facility operations, facilities services, sustainability initiatives, infrastructure management, maintenance operations, and asset stewardship functions is also a key responsibility. Finally, the COO oversees the financial performance of assigned operational functions, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources and identifying opportunities for improvement, while also developing organizational capacity through succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, and talent management strategies, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and service excellence.

Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of convention center, venue, exhibition, event, hospitality, or destination management operations.
• Strong understanding of MICE industry trends, business models, customer expectations, and operational best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex operational environments with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong financial, analytical, and business acumen.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to lead organizational change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong crisis management, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of organizational strategy through the effective alignment of operational resources, infrastructure, systems, and services.
• Establish operational priorities, performance expectations, and service standards that support organizational objectives and customer commitments.
• Direct the performance of the organization's operational portfolio and ensure operational capabilities support current and future business requirements.
• Evaluate operational performance and implement strategies that improve organizational effectiveness, service delivery, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
• Advise the Chief Executive Officer and executive leadership team on operational risks, opportunities, investments, and organizational capabilities.
• Ensure operational disciplines function as an integrated enterprise that supports business continuity, organizational readiness, and long-term organizational success.
• Provide executive leadership for event delivery and guest experience functions and ensures the successful execution of conventions, meetings, exhibitions, entertainment events, and other organizational activities.
• Establish operational strategies and service standards that support exceptional customer experiences and organizational performance.
• Ensure operational resources, technologies, personnel, and support services are aligned to meet customer expectations and contractual obligations.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration and operational integration throughout the event lifecycle.
• Support organizational growth through operational excellence, customer retention, and service innovation.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight for organizational readiness functions, including public safety, emergency management, and campus logistics.
• Ensure the organization maintains the operational capability necessary to support a safe, secure, and resilient environment for employees, guests, exhibitors, clients, and visitors.
• Direct enterprise preparedness, emergency response, business continuity, and incident management strategies.
• Maintain strategic relationships with public safety agencies, emergency response organizations, and regulatory authorities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety, security, emergency management, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide executive leadership for facility operations, facilities services, sustainability initiatives, infrastructure management, maintenance operations, and asset stewardship functions.
• Ensure facilities, infrastructure, and operational assets support organizational objectives, customer commitments, and business continuity requirements.
• Direct organizational efforts to maintain safe, functional, efficient, and guest-ready facilities.
• Support capital planning and infrastructure investment initiatives that enhance organizational performance and long-term operational capability.
• Oversee the financial performance of assigned operational functions and ensures responsible stewardship of organizational resources.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational value, efficiency, and return on investment.
• Ensure operational decisions support both short-term performance and long-term organizational sustainability.
• Develop organizational capacity through succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, and talent management strategies.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and service excellence.
• Serve as a champion for organizational change and operational transformation initiatives.
• Orient employees to MCCNO policies and procedures, clearly communicate job duties and responsibilities so individuals may proceed with certainty in the performance of their positions.
• Monitor the work performance of assigned personnel on a continual basis, conduct effective performance appraisals, and take corrective action whenever necessary.
• Provide leadership, direction, and accountability for senior operational leaders and department heads.
• Build a high-performing culture focused on collaboration, innovation, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Establish performance goals and operational metrics for departments and leadership teams.
• Support succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, and employee engagement initiatives.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed