The Role

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of London Business School is a reimagined and critical leadership role, responsible for the strategic oversight, operational excellence, and transformative development of the School’s non-academic functions. Reporting directly to the Dean, the COO will act as a key architect of LBS’s future, ensuring the institution remains agile, innovative, and operationally world-class in a rapidly evolving global landscape. 

With a remit that spans multiple high-impact areas, the COO will be instrumental in driving large-scale transformation across the School, enabling LBS to operate at the highest levels of efficiency, effectiveness, and commercial sustainability. The role requires a high-calibre, strategic leader with strong commercial acumen, deep operational expertise, and an exceptional ability to lead change and inspire teams. 

The COO at LBS is a career-defining role, offering the chance to drive meaningful change within a globally renowned business school.  It is an opportunity to build a high-performance, business-oriented operational model that sets the benchmark for global business education. 

 At LBS, innovation, agility, and a relentless focus on impact define the way the School operates. The next COO will embody these principles, ensuring that LBS continues to be a world-leading institution that moves at the speed of business. 

London Business School is partnering with Spencer Group on this appointment, and the executive search is being led by Spencer Group’s Partner & Head of the Innovation in Education practice, Dr Micah Coston.

Candidates should express formal interest by emailing a CV to Eve Bailey, Research Consultant: evangeline.bailey@spencergroup.com.

By doing so, potential candidates are not applying for the role but are expressing interest. Should Spencer Group wish to pursue the conversation, they will book a follow-up conversation. The closing date for expressions of interest is 1st April 2025 at 23:59 (GMT)

Main Responsibilities

The Chief Operating Officer will lead an experienced professional team, and with that team’s support, will:  

Strategic Leadership & Transformation 

• Support and advise the Dean and the other members of the leadership team on the development and implementation of the School’s mid- to long-term strategy
• Contribute to the articulation and development of the vision for the School’s future
• Drive and deliver a transformational agenda, ensuring all operational structures, systems and process are fit for purpose, future focused as LBS continues to grow
• Champion digital transformation across the organisation to enhance it’s operations, student experience and global reach

Operational Oversight and Organisational Excellence 

• Direct the School’s internal operations including Brand & Marketing, Technology, People, Innovation, Planning & School Secretariat (Dean's Office) and Estates & Campus Services via the Executive Directors or Officers leading those teams directly. 
• Establish and maintain effective and efficient operational systems and procedures, ensuring world class service delivery across all departments under their jurisdiction
• Oversee the management of operational systems and procedures and ensure that they are communicated and embedded in day-to-day practice 
• Assure the quality of the School’s support services for both internal and external users
• Be responsible, through lines of reporting, for the people management of staff in reporting departments 
• Ensure value for money is delivered across all activities and functions 
• Maintain high service levels and effective communication and integration across the School’s campuses in London and Dubai, and soon to be KSA
• Be responsible for the management of risk within the School
• Focus on sustainable practices and the implementation of sustainability initiatives across all operations to align with global standards and expectations
• Ensure that all departmental operations, policies and procedures comply with legal and regulatory requirements 

People, Culture and Stakeholder Engagement 

• Enhance organisational culture and engagement by fostering a diverse, inclusive, high performing, commercial and innovative work environment that attracts, develops and retains professional talent at all levels as they build their careers
• Support and oversee strategic workforce planning, ensuring LBS remains an employer of chouse
• Build strong relationships and influence across a diverse stakeholder group, including the Dean, Governing Body, leadership teams, partners etc. 

Who we are looking for

• The School is looking for an experienced leader with the ability to think strategically, to manage relationships and to take and implement important, complex and, sometimes, difficult decisions. 
• The person appointed needs to have strong personal integrity, drive, high emotional intelligence and is required to take a high level of personal responsibility for both their own work and that of the staff under her/his management. 
• Sound judgement under pressure, the ability to think laterally and creatively within a challenging and complex environment, and the intellectual capacity and strength of character to drive forward the School’s agenda are essential attributes.
• A sound appreciation of the academic environment and ability to operate effectively within a complex and nuanced decision-making context are also important. 

The successful candidate will need to be able to demonstrate a broad range of skills including:  

• Well-grounded analytical and creative strategy-building skills 
• High intellectual capacity, emotional intelligence, and excellent judgement 
• Proven track record in senior management and the ability to develop and mobilise an effective team that delivers high-quality, business-focussed support 
• Outstanding leadership skills and ability to inspire confidence in this team and to promote shared values that underpin the ethos of the School
• Ability to master a broad and varied portfolio 
• The ability to work in partnership with academic colleagues and to be comfortable working in an academic environment 
• Flexibility in managing various personalities and situations, with the ability to adapt style as necessary
• Capable of driving projects to conclusion while ensuring strategic alignment and satisfactorily bringing stakeholders on the journey
• Experience in change management and the delivery of complex projects
• Demonstrable ability to work with all the School’s internal and external stakeholders (including the Dean, the Governing Body, faculty, staff, associates, senior advisors and donors) 
• Outstanding communication abilities, both oral and in writing 
• Influencing skills, including negotiating and being persuasive
• A personal style, founded on an optimal blend of tenacity and adaptability, that enables the COO to get things done, working collaboratively with others and directly with the senior management team 
• Strong relationship builder, able to forge and manage effective relations within the School and across the global landscape

 Experience  

• Significant experience in a senior position in a complex organisation 
• Sound working knowledge of the key functional areas of responsibility of the post 
• Experience of leading complex change projects 
• Experience of working effectively to deliver results with multiple stakeholders in a complex, environment. 
• Some experience of working within the Higher Education sector (or a directly comparable environment) would be a distinct advantage 
• A well-developed understanding of business school culture or significant professional experience of working within an enterprise environment. 

Why London Business School

London Business School; a global and vibrant business community based in two of the world’s most dynamic cities, London and Dubai. It’s where extraordinary minds and diverse perspectives connect, to have a profound impact on the way the world does business and the way business impacts the world. We offer best in class hybrid learning to our students and participants, whilst creating a flexible, supportive and dynamic working environment for our people to excel in, whatever their location.

What you can expect from us

• Generous annual leave of 27 days plus extra between Christmas and New Year
• Generous pension package, 14.5% employer contribution (in return for employee enrolment and contribution)
• Free onsite gym and swimming pool
• Amazing range of professional development to support your career path
• Enhanced cycle to work scheme
• Wellbeing offering to support your physical, mental and financial health

All enjoyed in a Smart (hybrid) Working environment so we’re looking forward to discussing how, where and when you might work best to deliver in your new role.

Our commitment to driving inclusion and belonging 

We are a globally reaching institution, committed to creating tangible and sustainable change in driving inclusion & belonging within our School, education and society at large.  We are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone in our community feels they belong and thrive. This is a key school priority, and we want everyone who joins LBS to feel respected, welcomed, and heard. 

Candidates needing sponsorship should assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship by evaluating their circumstances against the relevant criteria before applying

London Business School