Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

The information below covers the role requirements, expected candidate experience, and accompanying qualifications.

Reports to: CEO / Founder 

Direct Reports: Leads our deal execution, marketing, and operations teams. 

Location: Carmel, IN (in office) 

Type: Full time

About Highpoint

Highpoint Advisors is a sell-side M&A advisory firm for owners of veterinary, dental, and other healthcare practices. We guide owners through one of the biggest decisions of their careers, from understanding what their practice is worth to closing a sale that fits their goals. Our clients trust us because we act like advisors, not vendors, and every part of the firm is built around that relationship.

The Role

Highpoint is growing, and we are hiring our first Chief Operating Officer to run the firm day to day. You will be the CEO's partner and second in command, turning the firm's strategy into an operating plan and making sure every team has what it needs to deliver for clients.

You will oversee deal execution, marketing and communications, and operations, and own the business functions that hold everything together: finance, people, systems, and process. This role frees our founder to focus on vision, key relationships, and growth, so you will need to be comfortable being the person the team comes to first.

What You Will Do

Lead the firm alongside the CEO

• Partner with the CEO to set annual goals, priorities, and the operating plan, then own the execution.
• Serve as the first point of escalation for day-to-day decisions across the firm.
• Give the CEO a clear, regular view of firm performance, pipeline, and risks.

Oversee deal operations

• Own the sell-side deal process, making sure our team has what it needs to guide every client from first conversation to closing day.
• Partner closely with the Advisors, who report to the CEO, to support their client work with the right people, process, and tools.
• Build visibility into the engagement pipeline.
• Manage deal team capacity and analyst support so client work stays on schedule.
• Standardize the engagement process, documents, and handoffs so every client gets a consistent, high-quality experience.
• Hold the team to clear standards for timelines, CRM use, and client communication.

Run the business side

• Own budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, working with our outside accounting partners.
• Lead people operations: hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, compensation planning, and policies.
• Own the firm's systems and tools, including CRM, project management, and document management.
• Manage vendors, contracts, insurance, and compliance.
• Put simple, scalable processes in place so the firm can grow without adding friction.

Connect growth and client experience

• Lead the Director of Marketing & Communications and align marketing and lead generation with deal team capacity and firm goals.
• Make sure the client experience is consistent from first contact through closing and beyond, including referrals and client events.
• Track the full path from lead to signed engagement to closed deal, and use it to guide investment.

Build the team and culture

• Coach and develop your direct reports and help them grow their teams.
• Plan headcount ahead of growth and lead hiring for new roles.
• Protect the culture that makes Highpoint feel like a trusted advisor to clients and a great place to work for the team.

What Success Looks Like

In the first 90 days

• Build strong working relationships with the CEO and each team lead.
• Learn the engagement process end to end and sit in on client work across stages.
• Deliver an assessment of what is working, what is not, and a prioritized plan for the year.

In the first year

• A clear operating rhythm, with goals and scorecards for every team.
• Reliable pipeline and capacity reporting that the CEO and leadership team use every week.
• A documented, consistent engagement process from signing to close.
• Core people practices in place: onboarding, reviews, and a hiring plan.
• The CEO spending most of his time on strategy, relationships, and growth rather than daily operations. 

What You Bring

• A background in financial services is strongly preferred, such as M&A, investment banking, commercial banking, accounting, wealth management, private equity, or another professional financial services firm.
• 10 or more years of experience in operations or general management, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role, ideally in financial or professional services.
• Experience leading a small or founder-led firm through growth.
• A track record of managing leaders, including revenue-producing or client-facing teams.
• Strong financial acumen: budgeting, forecasting, and running a business by the numbers.
• Comfort building systems and processes from scratch, and the judgment to keep them simple.
• Clear, steady communication with team members, clients, and outside partners.

Strong pluses

• Hands-on experience with transactions, deal teams, or client advisory work.
• Familiarity with veterinary, dental, or other healthcare practices.
• Experience with CRM and pipeline management tools.

Who Thrives Here

You like being close to the work. You are as comfortable in a pipeline review as you are in a hiring conversation. You bring structure without adding bureaucracy, and you care about how clients and team members feel as much as the numbers. You are energized by helping a founder-led firm grow without losing what makes it special. xhyhwjd

To apply , send your resume and a short note about why this role interests you to LeAnne Lavender at

Highpoint Advisors is an equal opportunity employer.