COO at Economist Firm

• SA
• Full-time
• Published: 2019-05-16 19:30:48Z

ROLES

The primary role of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be to grow and develop the business through:

• Identifying and pursuing opportunities for existing business areas;
• Developing and marketing new business areas;
• Building relationships with potential clients;
• Developing the Company KSA brand and raising brand awareness among potential clients;
• Responding to published Requests for Proposals and Calls for Expressions of Interests in relevant areas;
• Responsible for ensuring that projects are completed successfully; and
• Day to day running of the office.
• Specifically:
• The principal responsibility of the COO is to lead business development activities such that annual sales targets expressed in terms of gross margin are met or exceeded. The COO will lead the preparation of proposals and new business initiatives, managing inputs from other members of staff.
• The COO also has responsibility to direct and control the day to day running of company and to provide guidance and direction to the Board to ensure that the company’s strategic objectives are fulfilled. He/she is responsible for the overall performance and growth of the company and will work closely with the Board to ensure that the company’s plans are fulfilled and its targets met or exceeded.
• Managing projects including client liaison, managing the project teams including freelancers, quality and timeliness of deliverables, financial control of project budgets.
• Working on projects as required, providing this does not detract from their ability to carry out the above roles.
• The COO will report directly to the CEO. All other staff, including new recruits, will report to the COO.

 

COMPETENCIES

The main competencies required are business development, business management and leadership skills. They include:

• Understanding and competence in the many dimensions of business development and management;
• Business leadership and management skills;
• Ability to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the office;
• High level of commercial awareness
• Operational management skills, to embrace office management, IT and communications outsourcing.
• Ability to communicate effectively with board members and senior clients;
• Able to contribute effectively to the development of business strategies and annual business/marketing plans
• Track record in winning consultancy business demonstrated by experience of preparing proposals for and winning work;
• Ability to position the company in a potentially winning situation for new business, based on research, marketing meetings and networking;
• Ability to identify and open new markets and project opportunities;
• A sound understanding of international consultancy markets;
• Experience of managing all aspects of a consultancy business;
• Expert in chosen field(s) of expertise and holding a postgraduate degree in economics or a discipline deemed appropriate to the running and development of the business;
• Substantial professional experience in one or more fields relevant to practice area(s);
• Able to convey complex concepts to non-specialists in a simple, straightforward manner;
• Able to lead and contribute to the development of new approaches and methodologies;
• A successful track record working on relevant projects;
• Strong people and time management and skills;
• Consistently produce high quality written material;
• Communicate effectively in small and larger groups and in more formal oral presentations;
• Ability to source technical and project information;
• Numerate, with at least a basic understanding of statistics/econometrics; and
• Competence in Microsoft Office software, internet search engines and the ability to learn quickly new software packages.

 

TASKS

NEW BUSINESS

• The COO will be required to contribute his/her skills energies and knowledge to all aspects of the business practice areas, which may include;
• Preparing annual business plans and sales targets;
• Preparing monthly reports for the Board;
• Leading the preparation of financial and technical proposals;
• Supervising work produced by more junior staff;
• Undertaking annual appraisals of practice staff;
• Reviewing and approving practice staff timesheets;
• Managing practice staff leave requests;
• Identifying potential staff, and participating in the interview and recruitment process as required;
• Leading oral presentations in sales and project scenarios;
• Leading proactive sales initiatives;
• Leading proposal planning meetings;
• Leading and undertaking pre proposal missions;
• Ensuring the integrity of practice data bases of information, past experience and CVs;
• Acting as project leader on short term assignments managed from within the practice and also leading specific sections of more complex assignments;
• Undertaking technical project related tasks in KSA and elsewhere as required including -report structuring, writing and management, client meetings, reviewing technical work by consultants and external advisers, managing own and others deadlines and resource inputs, presenting to clients;
• Acting as project director, and overseeing technical support to project management;
• Contributing conceptually and technically to the development of new techniques and approaches relevant to the practice area issues;
• Other operational matters as arise from time to time.
• Undertake other tasks commensurate with the role and position which may be reasonably requested.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

• Maintaining the operational performance of the company and assuming full accountability to the Board for all company operations.
• Corporate planning
• Liaising with the Board and Chief Executive Officer;
• Formulating and implementing company policy;
• Preparing strategic corporate and annual business plans gaining board approval and monitoring these to ensure the company attains its strategic and financial objectives set by the board;
• Ensuring that the operating objectives and standards of performance are not only understood but owned by management and staff;
• Staffing
• Directing and controlling the work and resources of the company and ensuring the recruitment and retention of the required numbers/structure of well motivated staff;
• Monitoring the actions of the functional directors. Processes and procedures
• Ensuring that internal processes and procedures are documented, current and transparent to staff and are observed and enforced;
• Ensuring that the support functions including facilities management HR and legal support are functioning adequately and efficiently.
• Overseeing the IT and ensuring that company needs are adequately planned and delivered according to plan;
• Ensuring procurement throughout the company is undertaken at the best prices and terms of business.
• Ensure the company complies with all legal and statutory obligations including employment law, health and safety regulations and VAT and tax,

 

COMPANY REPRESENTATION

• Representing the company to major clients, suppliers and advisors as needs arise to secure the most effective contract terms for the company;

R&D

• Maintain research and development programme to ensure the company’s services are leading edge and the best possible for the clients;
• Public relations
• Develop and maintain effective marketing and PR strategies to promote the company and its services;

 

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The company expects the COO to:

• Meet their minimum gross margin (GM) sales targets which are set annually and agreed with the KSA Board;
• To be held accountable if these sales targets are not met, including the possibility of capability reassessment in accordance with the employee handbook;
• Positively represent the company to clients, staff, donors, subcontractors and consultants loyally and effectively;
• Behave ethically and professionally at all times;
• Keep abreast of technical and other developments in own fields of expertise;
• Seek to broaden personal range of expertise, for example though project work, personal study;
• Produce clear, concise and interesting written material;
• Be creative, innovative and proactive in approach to all projects and proposals;
• Ensure that tasks assigned to the senior consultants and other staff reporting to him/her are successfully completed in accordance with agreed terms of reference, timing and budget and high professional standards;
• Direct and manage projects to exceed client expectations;
• Keep the Board and Chief Executive Officer informed of progress and of any significant problems or other developments;
• Maintain effective working relationships with client personnel, at all levels, on current projects;
• Quickly develop good relationships with key personnel of new and prospective clients;
• Ensure that project team members are properly briefed on what is expected of them, supervised and supported and given constructive feedback on their performance;
• Provide monitoring, support and guidance to staff;
• Be a good team player who quickly establishes effective working relationships with other staff and freelance consultants with whom he/she comes into contact on projects or other activities;
• Be proactive in identifying and pursuing possible project extensions/add-ons and in building on existing client relationships to secure invitations to bid for new work; and
• Be alert to possible opportunities for other new business opportunities and take appropriate steps to instigate follow up initiatives.

 

Above all the appointed person must be a self starter able and willing to take the initiative be a solid team player and be able to relate productively with our team of professionals and the members of the Board.