Hiring a Chief Operating Officer (COO) isn’t just about filling a leadership seat—it’s about identifying a strategic partner who can execute with precision, lead under pressure, and scale operations across departments, geographies, and digital platforms. At JRG Partners, we’ve helped CEOs and boards across industries find COOs who are builders, not just operators.
To uncover these rare leaders, you need more than a polished résumé or rehearsed responses. You need interview questions that dig deep—questions that reveal a candidate’s ability to think, adapt, and lead in the real world.
Here’s our COO Interview Playbook—10 scenario-based questions that will separate true operational geniuses from surface-level strategists.
Key Scenario-Based Interview Questions for COOs
1. “Tell us about a time you identified a hidden inefficiency in the business. What was your approach to fixing it, and what was the measurable outcome?”
✅ What it reveals:
Process improvement thinking, attention to detail, and impact orientation (quantifiable results, e.g., cost savings, ΔP&L).
2. “You’ve just joined a company where the operations team is underperforming. What are your first 90 days of action?”
✅ What it reveals:
Prioritization, onboarding methodology, leadership transition style, and early change management capability.
3. “Describe a crisis situation where operations broke down. What did you do in the moment, and what systemic changes did you implement afterward?”
✅ What it reveals:
Crisis leadership, problem-solving under pressure, and ability to turn setbacks into long-term gains.
4. “Walk us through a time you had to scale an operation rapidly—whether across locations, product lines, or customer segments. What broke, and how did you fix it?”
✅ What it reveals:
Scalability mindset, systems thinking, and operational foresight.
5. “We want to improve our ΔP&L performance. What operational levers would you pull first, and why?”
✅ What it reveals:
Financial acumen, understanding of cost centers vs. profit drivers, and operational ROI thinking.
6. “Tell us about a major tech transformation initiative you led. How did you align cross-functional teams, manage resistance, and measure success?”
✅ What it reveals:
Digital maturity, change leadership, and stakeholder management.
7. “In your experience, what KPIs are most essential to monitor real-time operational health? How have you built dashboards or reporting systems around them?”
✅ What it reveals:
Data-driven mindset, fluency in analytics, and systems implementation experience.
8. “Have you ever had to shut down or sunset a business line or process? How did you handle it with your teams, and what was the outcome?”
✅ What it reveals:
Tough decision-making, emotional intelligence, and strategic clarity.
9. “Tell us about a time your operations strategy conflicted with sales or product leadership. How did you resolve the conflict?”
✅ What it reveals:
Cross-functional collaboration, diplomacy, and big-picture alignment.
10. “What’s one overlooked trend in operations that you believe more companies should prepare for in the next 3–5 years?”
✅ What it reveals:
Futurist thinking, industry awareness, and strategic vision.
Bonus Tip: Listen for Patterns
Look for candidates who not only answer the questions but tell stories with structure—situation, action, and results. The strongest COOs communicate with clarity, back up claims with data, and focus on outcomes that moved the business forward.
Final Thoughts: Hire the COO Who Thinks Like an Owner
The COO you hire today will shape the resilience, scalability, and operational agility of your business tomorrow. The right interview questions can unlock insight into how a candidate operates under pressure, navigates complexity, and drives results that matter.
At JRG Partners, we specialize in identifying executive leaders who are built for execution and wired for strategy. Whether you’re hiring your first COO or preparing for a leadership succession, we’ll help you ask the right questions—and find the right answers.
Ready to find your next operational powerhouse?
Partner with JRG Partners to design a COO search process that reveals the difference between potential and performance.
