Job description

GHJ 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 Responsibilities Lead HR, recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and retention initiatives Oversee benefits strategy and renewals, including relationships with brokers and providers Lead firmwide administrative operations and establish clear, scalable procedures and accountability Evaluate staffing needs, resource allocation, workflows, and operational efficiency Serve as a trusted advisor to the Managing Partner and support firm leadership on strategic initiatives Help capture and institutionalize critical operational knowledge while supporting long-term succession planning Negotiate major vendor, insurance, benefits, and legal technology contracts Maintain strong working knowledge of legal technology and business systems and support new implementations Partner with the Controller on budgeting, financial planning, KPIs, and business performance Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture while providing leadership and mentorship to administrative teams Qualifications Significant progressive leadership experience within a law firm, accounting firm, or other professional services environment Strong background in HR, recruiting, employee relations, and people leadership Demonstrated success improving operations, workflows, and organizational processes Experience managing and negotiating significant vendor and service-provider relationships Familiarity with legal or professional services technology and business systems Strong financial acumen and ability to partner effectively with finance leadership Exceptional judgment, discretion, organization, and follow-through Executive presence with the ability to build credibility across partners, leadership, and staff Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related field Why Join? Serve as the senior business executive of an established law firm with direct access to the Managing Partner Take ownership of a broad operational function where your impact will be highly visible Play a meaningful role in leadership succession and the long-term evolution of the firm Join a relationship-driven culture that values collaboration and long-term employee retention Competitive $350,000–$450,000 base salary , plus bonus opportunity and comprehensive executive benefits #GHJSS #LI-MC1

Requirements

Must-haves

Lead HR, recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and retention initiatives
Oversee benefits strategy and renewals, including relationships with brokers and providers
Lead firmwide administrative operations and establish clear, scalable procedures and accountability
Evaluate staffing needs, resource allocation, workflows, and operational efficiency
Serve as a trusted advisor to the Managing Partner and support firm leadership on strategic initiatives
Help capture and institutionalize critical operational knowledge while supporting long-term succession planning
Negotiate major vendor, insurance, benefits, and legal technology contracts
Maintain strong working knowledge of legal technology and business systems and support new implementations
Partner with the Controller on budgeting, financial planning, KPIs, and business performance
Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture while providing leadership and mentorship to administrative teams
Significant progressive leadership experience within a law firm, accounting firm, or other professional services environment
Strong background in HR, recruiting, employee relations, and people leadership
Demonstrated success improving operations, workflows, and organizational processes
Experience managing and negotiating significant vendor and service-provider relationships
Familiarity with legal or professional services technology and business systems
Strong financial acumen and ability to partner effectively with finance leadership
Exceptional judgment, discretion, organization, and follow-through
Executive presence with the ability to build credibility across partners, leadership, and staff
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related field
Serve as the senior business executive of an established law firm with direct access to the Managing Partner
Take ownership of a broad operational function where your impact will be highly visible
Play a meaningful role in leadership succession and the long-term evolution of the firm
Join a relationship-driven culture that values collaboration and long-term employee retention

Nice-to-haves

Competitive $350,000–$450,000 base salary , plus bonus opportunity and comprehensive executive benefits

Application prep

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