Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Location: Fort Lee, NJ (Primarily On-site)

Employment Type: Full-time

Language Requirement: Professional Korean–English Business Fluency Required

Position Overview

We are seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to serve as the President's operating counterpart across all departments for a well-established importer and distributor of flat-rolled steel with over 30 years of nationwide service.

The COO will handle routine and operating matters—internally with department heads, and externally with customers, mills, vendors, and partners—allowing executive involvement to remain focused on high-consequence decisions. The mandate is to build a stronger, more durable enterprise that runs on sound analysis, documented processes, and disciplined reporting.

• Strategic Operating Leadership: Own whether operating plans are correct, working, and adjusted effectively. Personally develop analysis and recommendations rather than routing them through others.

• Accountability Through Support: Raise leadership performance and hold managers to outcomes by empowering them to succeed rather than directing work.

• Commercial & Sales Partnership: Partner with independent sales representatives by equipping them with analytical support, pricing discipline, and supply chain infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

• Operating Oversight: Serve as the decision point for routine and cross-functional operating matters. Set priorities, resolve conflicts, and bring major decisions to the President with clear options and recommendations.

• External Representation: Represent the company in place of the President when meeting with customers, mills, processors, vendors, advisors, and strategic partners.

• Business Initiative Evaluation: Assess new initiatives, products, channels, and investments. Build business cases, test viability, evaluate return/risk, recommend decisions, and lead execution upon approval.

• Management Accountability & Development: Establish objectives, decision rights, and KPIs with department heads. Maintain management cadence, coach leaders, close performance gaps, and build succession depth.

• Enterprise Strength & Governance: Elevate financial reporting, internal controls, documentation, and management depth to institutional standards to drive measurable enterprise value.

• Supply Chain & Commercial Oversight: Oversee sourcing, procurement, freight, customs, landed cost, inventory positioning, and buy/sell timing discipline.

• Finance & Working Capital: Oversee budgeting, forecasting, margin/cost discipline, A/R aging, collections, cash management, credit, and risk.

• Systems & Reporting: Drive ERP and reporting initiatives to ensure leadership has actionable management data and stalled projects reach resolution.

Essential Qualifications

• Language: Professional Korean–English business fluency (capable of conducting negotiations and written work in both languages).

• Leadership Experience: Senior operating leadership experience accountable for P&L, budget, working capital, and overall results (COO, President, GM, VP Operations, or equivalent).

• Executive Presence: Proven track record acting on behalf of an owner or CEO, with sound judgment regarding decision authority.

• Analytical Capability: History of personally developing business cases, investment appraisals, and operating plans.

• External Credibility: High credibility with senior-level external customers, suppliers, and partners.

• Influence & Coaching: Proven ability to elevate performance through influence and support where formal authority may be limited.

• Education & Work Authorization: Bachelor's degree required; authorized to work in the United States.

Preferred Background

• Experience in import, distribution, trading, manufacturing, or inventory-intensive industries.

• Background in steel, metals, or industrial commodities.

• Experience strengthening reporting, controls, and governance to audit or institutional standards.

• Experience with ERP implementation and building management reporting systems.

• Experience working with Korean suppliers, trading houses, or Korean parent/partner organizations.

• Experience in privately held or family-owned business environments.

• Exposure to corporate development, M&A, joint ventures, or strategic partnerships.

Compensation & Employment Details

• Location: Primarily on-site in Fort Lee, NJ, with periodic travel.

• Base Salary: $150,000 – $275,000 (commensurate with experience and fit), plus eligibility for a discretionary annual bonus.

• Benefits Package: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid vacation, sick days, and holidays; lunch allowance; fitness reimbursement; service awards.

• Transferable Leadership: Candidates with strong company-wide operating leadership are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every preferred qualification. Industry-specific knowledge will be taught to the right operator.