Chief Operating Officer (COO)

About Us

SKDK is an award-winning strategic communications, public affairs, and advertising agency. With offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Albany, and Los Angeles, SKDK partners with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, philanthropies, political candidates, and committees to solve complex challenges through integrated communications strategy, storytelling, content creation, crisis management, media placement, and digital innovation. Committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, SKDK delivers transformative results for its clients.


Overview

The Opportunity

We seek an exceptional Chief Operating Officer to serve as a trusted strategic partner to our CEO and Partner Group and manage the operational foundation that enables SKDK's continued growth and excellence. This is a pivotal leadership role that will directly impact how effectively SKDK executes its vision, scales its capabilities, and serves its clients across multiple offices and service lines. The COO will take ownership of human capital strategy, regulatory compliance, multi-office operations, and critical business systems-working collaboratively with the CEO and Partner Group to drive organizational excellence.


What We're Looking For

We seek a leader who combines operational rigor with people-first values , someone equally comfortable with spreadsheets and meaningful conversations. You should be strategic enough to help shape firm direction yet hands-on enough to execute details that matter. The ideal candidate brings energy, sound judgment, and proven problem-solving ability -knowing when to escalate versus when to decide independently. You must thrive as a collaborative partner to our CEO and Partner Group while earning respect across all levels of the organization. Above all, we want someone who understands that great operations enable great client work, and who takes pride in building a firm where talented people want to build their careers.


Key Objectives

• Build and execute a world-class people strategy that attracts, develops, and retains top talent across all offices and service lines

• Drive operational efficiency and scalability across Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Albany, and Los Angeles and future locations while maintaining consistent quality and culture

• Ensure regulatory compliance and risk managemen t across HR, tax, legal, and financial domains

• Enable partner productivity by removing operational friction and freeing leadership to focus on firm growth, client delivery and business development

• Establish governance frameworks and policies that reflect SKDK's commitment to growth and an inclusive workplace.

Responsibilities

Primary Responsibilities


People & Talent

• Lead all HR strategy, talent development, recruitment, and compensation decisions

• Advise the CEO, partners, and senior leadership on personnel matters, performance management, and organizational development

• Direct recruitment and compensation strategy to align with firm growth and market competitiveness

• Partner with the Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer to advance firmwide DEI initiatives

Operations & Compliance

• Oversee multi-office operations for SKDK's Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Albany, and Los Angeles locations

• Manage compliance across regulatory requirements (FARA, employment verification, lobbying disclosures, SOX audits, subpoena processing)

• Partner with external counsel on legal matters, contract management, and client/vendor/contractor relationships

• Direct policy development and ensure consistent implementation firm-wide

• Manage firm insurance, benefits administration (HRIS/UKG), and employment verification

Finance & Administration

• Collaborate with CFO on budget forecasting, financial planning, and SOX compliance

• Execute media insertion orders and manage client billing workflows

• Ensure audit readiness and financial transparency across all offices

Strategic Initiatives & Technology

• Manage project management systems (Workfront) and oversee AI training and operations

• Partner with IT on firm technology needs and digital transformation

• Coordinate tax requirements and processing with external specialists

• Support the firm's growth through operational integration of new acquisitions, services, products, and technology.

• Experience working with technology teams focused on innovation, cyber security, and AI adoption.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior operations, HR, or business management experience at a similar-size agency, professional services firm, or organization, with a proven track record of helping those organizations scale and grow

• Proven success managing multi-office operations and building scalable systems, policies, and processes

• Deep expertise in HR strategy , talent development, compensation, benefits, and employment law

• Strong financial acumen including budget development, forecasting, and P&L responsibility

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex compliance across regulatory, tax, and legal domains

• Exceptional CEO and stakeholder management skills with ability to influence without direct authority and build credibility across all organizational levels

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills -strategic, clear, and persuasive

• Experience with enterprise systems (HRIS, project management, financial systems)

• Bachelor's degree required ; MBA, SHRM certification, or equivalent advanced credential preferred

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and experience advancing these values within organizations

• Sarbanes-Oxley experience welcome.

Benefits

SKDK is committed to pay equity. SKDK believes the target base compensation in this role is between $250,000-$285,000. In addition to base salary, SKDK considers other key components as part of total compensation, including but not limited to an annual discretionary bonus, commission on new business, and a comprehensive benefits package. Actual base compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors, such as skillset, level of experience, and location.

SKDK provides a generous benefits package including excellent coverage for health, vision, and dental insurance premiums; paid parental leave; time off including vacation, holidays, and sick time; 401(k) with an employer contribution, reimbursement for cellular service, public transportation benefits, and additional benefits.

SKDK believes in the growth and development of all our employees and therefore we offer:

• Professional development and career guidance
• Opportunities for advancement
• Participation in Employee Resource Groups
• A collegial and supportive office environment

Equal Opportunities

SKDK is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any protected category.