Interim COO.
An interim chief operating officer for companies where the strategy is fine and execution is not. Six triggers, the first ninety days, rates and the honest CEO-or-COO question.
Direct answer
An interim COO is an experienced operator who takes charge of delivery, operations and the management line for a defined period with full authority. Mandates run three to nine months at EUR 1,200 to EUR 2,500 per day, and target one operational outcome: margin, service level, integration or a missing management layer.
Triggers
When an interim COO is the answer.
- 01Delivery or service levels have slipped and nobody owns the recovery.
- 02Margin is leaking somewhere between quoting, production and invoicing.
- 03The COO left, or the CEO has been doing both jobs for six months.
- 04A post-acquisition integration is stalled at the operational layer.
- 05Growth has outpaced the operating system, processes are improvised.
- 06A plant, warehouse or 3PL transition needs a senior owner on site.
Scope
Interim COO vs interim CEO.
| Dimension | Interim COO | Interim CEO |
|---|---|---|
| Owns | Delivery, operations, cost to serve | Whole P&L, board, shareholders |
| Reports to | The CEO | The board or shareholder |
| Right when | Strategy agreed, execution failing | Strategy, leadership or P&L broken |
| Day rate | EUR 1,200-2,500 | EUR 1,500-3,500 |
| Typical length | Three to nine months | Three to twelve months |
If the permanent version of the seat is what you need, read hire a COO. For integration mandates specifically, post-acquisition integration. Related seats: interim CFO and interim CMO.
FAQ
Interim COO. Buyer questions.
What is an interim COO?
An interim Chief Operating Officer is an experienced operator who takes charge of delivery, operations and the management line for a defined period with full authority. The mandate is usually three to nine months and targets a specific operational outcome: margin, service level, integration or the missing second layer of management.
What does an interim chief operating officer do first?
Maps how work actually flows versus how the org chart claims it does, then fixes the two or three bottlenecks that explain most of the lost margin or late delivery. Weekly operating review with real numbers from week one. Restructuring decisions after the diagnosis, not before.
How much does an interim COO cost in Italy?
EUR 1,200 to EUR 2,500 per day, or EUR 20,000 to EUR 40,000 per month on retainer, depending on company size and whether the mandate includes plant, supply chain and headcount decisions. Invoiced with 22% IVA. No search fee, no severance exposure.
Interim COO or interim CEO: which does my company need?
If the strategy is agreed and execution is failing, you need a COO. If the strategy itself, the board relationship or the P&L ownership is the problem, you need a CEO. Boards frequently mislabel this, which is worth twenty minutes of honest conversation before anyone signs.
Can an interim COO run a post-acquisition integration?
Yes, and it is one of the most common briefs: two operating systems, duplicated functions, a hundred-day plan and nobody with the time to own it. The interim COO runs the integration workstreams while the CEO keeps the customers and the board calm.
Next step
Execution broken. Strategy fine.
Thirty minutes to work out whether the seat you need is COO or CEO. Written scope and price within 48 hours.