COO/VP Operations, Member Firm
Current · Syracuse
About the Company
At Current, everything starts with people. We partner with leading accounting firms across the United States, bringing them together through a shared platform that supports their growth while preserving the local identities and client relationships that make each firm unique. Our partner firms combine the close connections of a local team with the resources of a national community, giving professionals access to broader career opportunities, learning, collaboration, and innovative technology. Whether you join Current or one of our partner firms, you’ll be part of a connected team investing in your development and shaping the future of accounting.
About the Role
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key executive leader responsible for building the “firm of the future” — combining best-in-class professional services operations with process engineering, data/AI enablement, and modern technology to deliver a step-change in client experience, margin, and scalability.
This is a hands-on operator who can:
Translate strategy into operating cadence, measurable outcomes, and sustained execution
Engineer and standardize end-to-end workflows across service lines
Lead technology-enabled transformation (AI, automation, workflow, data, client-facing platforms)
Influence partners and senior stakeholders through change while strengthening culture and client trust
Key responsibilities
Operating model & performance leadership
Own firmwide operations across offices and functions; ensure consistent execution and a high-accountability culture.
Establish an operating cadence: weekly metrics reviews, monthly business reviews, quarterly planning, and clear ownership of initiatives.
Define and manage KPIs that matter (capacity utilization, cycle time, SLA adherence, quality/rework, realization, NPS/CSAT, talent retention).
Identify constraints to growth and remove bottlenecks through systems, process, and org design.
Transformation, process engineering & continuous improvement
Map and redesign end-to-end workflows (onboarding → delivery → review → billing → renewal) with a focus on speed, quality, and scalability.
Build a lean/process-improvement capability inside the firm (standards, playbooks, training, continuous improvement loops).
Standardize SOPs, templates, and controls to ensure quality and compliance while enabling delegation/offshoring where appropriate.
Technology & AI enablement
Partner with leadership to define a practical tech roadmap (workflow tools, practice management, document management, data platforms, client portals, AI copilots/agents).
Lead change management for technology adoption: pilot, measure, refine, and scale.
Establish governance for AI use (risk, privacy, compliance, review controls) in collaboration with Risk/Compliance and IT.
Drive automation of routine work and elevate the team to higher-value advisory activities.
Stakeholder leadership & change management
Serve as a trusted advisor to partners and practice leaders; influence without relying on authority.
Align cross-functional teams (Tax, Audit/Assurance, CAS, Advisory, Client Service, HR, IT, Finance) around shared outcomes.
Communicate clearly and consistently: what is changing, why, when, and how success will be measured.
Reinforce a culture of excellence, learning, innovation, and client-first delivery.
Talent, organization & shared services
Build and develop a high-performing operations leadership bench (ops, client service operations, PMO, enablement).
Partner with HR to design scalable org structures, role clarity, performance systems, and training.
Oversee shared services and operational infrastructure (HR Ops, IT Ops, Finance Ops, Admin) as applicable; ensure service levels and reliability.
Integration (as relevant)
Support integration of acquired practices into the flagship operating model (process, technology, operating cadence, and culture).
Create repeatable integration playbooks and “day 1 → day 90” execution plans.
Ideal candidate profile
12+ years of operational leadership in professional services (accounting, consulting, legal, or adjacent), with responsibility for multi-team execution.
Proven track record leading technology-enabled transformation (workflow modernization, automation, data/analytics, AI enablement).
Strong process engineering mindset (Lean/Six Sigma or equivalent experience welcomed but not required).
Able to operate at both executive altitude (strategy, stakeholder influence) and in the details (process mapping, metrics, adoption).
Demonstrated ability to lead change in partner-led or matrixed environments.
Excellent communication, facilitation, and conflict navigation skills.
High judgment around risk, quality, and compliance in regulated professional services.
Preferred (not required)
Experience in PE-backed platforms, roll-ups, or multi-site professional services organizations
Experience building a delivery model that uses shared services / global delivery effectively
CPA, MBA, or other relevant credential
Working style
Results-first, metric-driven operator who builds durable systems
Comfortable in ambiguity; can structure problems and drive execution
Collaborative, low-ego leader who raises the bar while bringing people along
Curious and pragmatic about AI and technology — focused on adoption and outcomes, not hype
What success looks like (12–24 months)
Core delivery workflows are documented, measured, continuously improved, and scalable across offices
The firm operates with clear operating metrics and predictable throughput (capacity, cycle time, quality)
AI/automation is embedded into daily work in a controlled, compliant way — improving quality and freeing capacity
Client experience is measurably stronger (responsiveness, proactive insights, consistency)
A repeatable operating model is established and ready to export to other firms
Compensation & Benefits
The total rewards package at Current includes base salary and benefits.
Our salary ranges are competitive within the accounting industry and are updated regularly using the most reliable compensation survey data for our industry. New hire offers are made based on a candidate’s experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity relative to peers.
We provide a robust benefits package, including:
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance (with options for fully paid employee only coverage for health and dental)
Company-Paid Life and Long-Term & Short-Term Disability Insurance
Ancillary Benefits such as supplemental life insurance, critical illness, and accident insurance
Classic Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan with employer contributions
Opportunities for professional growth, learning, and development including access to Becker and LinkedIn Learning
Equal Opportunity
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other applicable legally protected characteristic.