Macdonald & Company
Chief Operating Officer - Student Living
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Chief Operating Officer
We are working with a fast-growing, vertically integrated operating platform within the living sector to appoint a Chief Operating Officer. This is a genuinely broad, hands-on operational leadership role, reporting directly to the CEO, and working closely with the founder shareholders, you'll take ownership of operations across a multi-site portfolio, spanning several core business functions.
What you'll be doing:
- Owning day-to-day operations across a multi-site, asset-heavy portfolio
- Driving cost discipline and efficiency programmes tied directly to asset performance
- Setting and monitoring KPIs across all business functions
- Leading compliance, risk management, and governance standards across every site
- Unifying previously siloed functions under a single operational structure
- Building and developing internal talent, with a strong focus on succession planning
- Reporting directly to the CEO and Board on performance, risk, and strategic opportunity
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What we're looking for:
- A track record running multi-site, operationally intensive businesses within the living sector or a comparable operational environment
- Strong financial acumen, comfortable owning budgets, NOI targets and cost reduction programmes
- Proven ability to integrate and lead multiple departments under one structure
- A governance-first mindset, with experience embedding compliance and risk frameworks
- A genuine interest in developing people and building internal capability, not just process
- Comfortable operating in a founder-led business with high visibility and accountability
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This is a rare opportunity to shape the operational backbone of a business at a pivotal stage of growth, with real influence over strategy, culture, and long-term value creation. Contact Alistair Carter on 020 7318 1774 or email at acarter@macdonaldandcompany.com
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