Job Summary
The Head of Operations is the day-to-day interface between the COO and all department teams. This role ensures that operational directives are executed, team performance is tracked, and gaps are flagged and resolved quickly without everything bottlenecking at the COO’s desk.
The goal is to support leadership, enforce accountability at team level, and eliminate centralization of operations at COO level. You run the machine daily so the COO can focus on strategy, growth, and governance.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Daily Operations
Serve as the primary interface between the COO and all department heads and staff.
Drive daily execution of operational plans across Lab, HR, Finance, Supply Chain, IT, and Customer Service.
Conduct daily/weekly team huddles, monitor task completion, and ensure targets are met.
Address first-level staff issues, performance gaps, and conflicts before they escalate to the COO.
Operational Efficiency & Process Compliance
Own implementation of SOPs and ensure adherence across all teams.
Identify operational lapses, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies and resolve them proactively.
Monitor turnaround times, quality metrics, and service delivery standards. Escalate only critical issues to COO.
Data Collection, Reporting & Accountability
Collect, record, and maintain operational data from all departments.
Build and update daily/weekly dashboards on KPIs: TAT, error rates, revenue, costs, staff performance.
Prepare reports for COO and hold department heads accountable to agreed KPIs.
Ensure data integrity and that decisions are made based on facts, not assumptions.
People Management & Culture
Support COO in performance management. Document underperformance and recommend corrective action.
Ensure staff understand their roles, targets, and accountability.
Foster a culture of discipline, ownership, and continuous improvement at team level.
Coordination & Communication
Coordinate between departments to ensure smooth workflow and handoffs.
Communicate COO directives clearly to teams and report team feedback/status back to COO.
Maintain the operations calendar, meetings, and follow-ups.
Qualifications & Experience
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Healthcare Management, Medical Laboratory Science, or related field.
Experience: Minimum 5-7 years of experience in operations, with at least 2 years in a supervisory/team lead role. Healthcare/diagnostics/lab experience is a strong advantage.
Track Record: Proven ability to manage teams, enforce processes, and drive results without constant supervision.
Technical Skills: Strong in data collection, Excel/Google Sheets, dashboards, and KPI tracking. Experience with ERP/LIS systems is an advantage.
Skills: Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills. Ability to hold people accountable firmly but fairly.
Key Competencies
Execution & Follow-Through: Gets things done and follows up until closed.
Operational Supervision: Can manage multiple teams and workflows simultaneously.
Data & Reporting: Comfortable building reports and using data to drive daily decisions.
Accountability: Does not shield poor performance. Addresses issues directly.
Process Orientation: Lives by SOPs and ensures others do too.
Communication: Clear bridge between leadership and staff.