Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Job Description

Job Description

Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Charlotte, NC (preferred) | Full Time | Executive Leadership | Reports to Chief Executive Officer

Lighthouse Lab Services helps organizations build, operate, optimize, and grow high-performing laboratories. We value collaboration, community, quality, and innovation, and are committed to exceptional service for our clients and the patients ultimately impacted by our work. Lighthouse has an established portfolio of laboratory services with opportunities to strengthen operational consistency, improve efficiency, and scale its capabilities to support continued growth. About the Role The Enterprise COO will lead Lighthouse’s operating model, ensuring reliable customer delivery, scalable processes, strong quality and compliance, and consistent operating performance across the business. The COO will be accountable for collaborating with our Finance and Commercial Executives to ensure operational and financial performance, including productivity, margins, cash conversion, and working capital as well as aligning people, processes, systems and resources to support profitable growth and long-term success.

Lighthouse’s next stage requires greater operating consistency and coordination across its service lines. The COO will strengthen the way the business operates while preserving the agility and entrepreneurial spirit that have contributed to its success. As the CEO’s principal operating partner, the COO will drive accountability, develop operating leaders, and build the capabilities needed to support a substantially larger organization. What You Will Lead

Enterprise Leadership

Partner with the CEO and executive leadership team to make cross-functional decisions, balance competing priorities, and drive enterprise performance. Represent Lighthouse with the Board, sponsors, critical customers, and partners, and provide operating leadership during the CEO’s absence when appropriate.

Enterprise Operating Model

Design and implement the enterprise operating model, including service-line ownership, decision rights, organizational structure, standard processes, management cadence, and escalation procedures.

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Customer Delivery

Oversee execution from commercial handoff through onboarding, implementation, service delivery, issue resolution, recovery, and renewal support. Establish consistent processes for identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.

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Operating Economics & Financial Performance

Partner with Finance and service-line leaders to improve gross margins, labor productivity, utilization, cost to serve, procurement, vendor spend, rework, field productivity. Drive operating performance that supports profitability, cash conversion, working capital discipline, and efficient use of resources.

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Scalability & Process Improvement

Develop the processes, systems, automation, management structures, and reporting needed to support growth while controlling overhead and operational complexity.

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Quality & Compliance

Integrate quality, compliance, and risk management into daily operations. Ensure effective regulatory compliance, documentation, training, corrective action, and risk management practices.

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Operating Talent & Leadership

Assess and develop operating leaders, strengthen management capabilities at all levels, establish clear accountability, and build succession plans to support organizational growth.

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Continuous Improvement

Lead the enterprise operating system and partner with Transformation on Lean and continuous improvement initiatives. Embed continuous improvement into routine management and everyday work.

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Technology Enablement

Partner with IT and Technology to identify and implement workflow automation, AI, digital customer experience, improved data visibility, and productivity solutions supported by clear business cases.

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M&A Diligence & Integration

Lead operational due diligence and post-acquisition integration across people, processes, facilities, systems, quality, customer continuity, and operating performance. Establish Day 1 readiness and 100-day integration plans, track synergy realization, and ensure acquired businesses are integrated effectively while maintaining service continuity and financial performance.

What Success Looks Like

• Future-state operating model and clear accountability implemented.
• Enterprise operations scorecard and monthly business review cadence established and achieved.
• Standardized commercial-to-operations handoff implemented.
• Gross margin and productivity improvement roadmap delivering measurable results.
• Customer escalation, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action processes established.
• Operating leadership assessment and development priorities completed.
• Quality and compliance integrated into routine operating management.
• Capacity planning and resource models implemented.
• Technology and automation roadmap prioritized based on business impact and return on investment.
• Acquisition integration plans executed with clear accountability for milestones, synergies, and operating performance.

What We’re Looking For

• Collaborative, people-centered leadership with a track record of building strong teams, developing leaders, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and creating an environment where team members feel valued, supported, and accountable.
• Experience leading multi-site, multi-service operations with significant P&L accountability.
• Demonstrated success improving service delivery, operating efficiency, quality, and margins while scaling a business.
• Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to translate strategy into operating plans, measurable results, and sustainable performance improvements.
• Experience leading organizational change, standardizing processes, and building scalable operating systems without sacrificing customer service or agility.
• Hands-on experience with continuous improvement, Lean methodologies, or similar approaches to operational excellence.
• Demonstrated success leading acquisition integration, including operational diligence, Day 1 readiness, and post-close stabilization.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to align teams and influence across the organization, executive leadership, and the Board.
• Data-driven approach to decision-making, problem-solving, and performance management.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive executive base salary and performance-based annual incentive, with compensation reflecting experience, role scope, and market requirements.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, and other company-sponsored benefits in accordance with applicable policies and benefit plans.

Equal Employment Opportunity Lighthouse Lab Services is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable law. For assistance during the application process, contact Lighthouse Lab Services at View email address on us.fitly.work.

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