Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Los Angeles, CAClient Opportunities – COO /Regular Full-time /On-siteGHJ Search and Staffing serves as the recruitment division of GHJ, a prominent national accounting and advisory firm. Our team provides qualified Accounting and Finance professionals on a temporary and permanent basis across a broad range of industries. GHJ’s relationship with our Global Advisory and Accounting Network provides the resources needed to better understand client’s needs, attract a higher caliber of candidates and assess candidate potential.A well-established, multi-office law firm is seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer (COO) to serve as the firm’s senior business executive and trusted partner to the Managing Partner. This is a rare opportunity for an accomplished professional services leader to take ownership of firm administration, strengthen the organization’s people and processes, and help shape its next chapter of growth and leadership succession.The COO will lead the firm’s non-attorney administrative functions, with a particular focus on human resources, recruiting, people management, and practice operations. The role is designed for a hands-on, highly organized leader who can bring structure and accountability to firm operations while building trusted relationships across attorneys, staff, and firm leadership.Financial acumen is important, but this is not a traditional CFO role. An established Controller oversees day-to-day accounting and finance, allowing the COO to focus more broadly on people, operations, strategic initiatives, and organizational effectiveness.Key ResponsibilitiesLead HR, recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and retention initiativesOversee benefits strategy and renewals, including relationships with brokers and providersLead firmwide administrative operations and establish clear, scalable procedures and accountabilityEvaluate staffing needs, resource allocation, workflows, and operational efficiencyServe as a trusted advisor to the Managing Partner and support firm leadership on strategic initiativesHelp capture and institutionalize critical operational knowledge while supporting long-term succession planningNegotiate major vendor, insurance, benefits, and legal technology contractsMaintain strong working knowledge of legal technology and business systems and support new implementationsPartner with the Controller on budgeting, financial planning, KPIs, and business performanceFoster a collaborative, high-performing culture while providing leadership and mentorship to administrative teamsQualificationsSignificant progressive leadership experience within a law firm, accounting firm, or other professional services environmentStrong background in HR, recruiting, employee relations, and people leadershipDemonstrated success improving operations, workflows, and organizational processesExperience managing and negotiating significant vendor and service-provider relationshipsFamiliarity with legal or professional services technology and business systemsStrong financial acumen and ability to partner effectively with finance leadershipExceptional judgment, discretion, organization, and follow-throughExecutive presence with the ability to build credibility across partners, leadership, and staffBachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related fieldWhy Join?Serve as the senior business executive of an established law firm with direct access to the Managing PartnerTake ownership of a broad operational function where your impact will be highly visiblePlay a meaningful role in leadership succession and the long-term evolution of the firmJoin a relationship-driven culture that values collaboration and long-term employee retentionCompetitive $350,000–$450,000 base salary, plus bonus opportunity and comprehensive executive benefits$350,000 - $450,000 a year#GHJSS #LI-MC1We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.