What does a hospitality COO recruiter do? A hospitality COO recruiter finds and places Chief Operating Officers and senior operations leaders for hotel companies, restaurant groups, resorts, private clubs and investor-backed hospitality brands. The best COO candidates are already running operations somewhere else, so the search relies on confidential outreach and on verifying each candidate's operating results. JWB Hospitality is a boutique hospitality executive search firm that recruits COOs nationwide for founders, ownership groups, CEOs, boards and private equity firms.
At a glance: COO searches typically take 45–120 days · 300+ hospitality placements · 95% offer acceptance · 20% of first-year base salary on contingency, no upfront retainer · 90-day replacement guarantee
The COO turns strategy into results across every unit or property. A strong COO improves margins, holds General Managers accountable, builds the operating team and makes growth possible without losing quality. The wrong hire shows up quickly in turnover, inconsistent guest experience and missed numbers.
Most proven COOs are not looking for a new role. A specialist recruiter knows who is running comparable operations, can approach them in confidence and can check their results before you spend time interviewing.
Company operations leadership
Chief Operating Officer, President, Senior Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Operations and Regional Vice President
Multi-unit and multi-property operations
Restaurant group COO, multi-brand operations executive, hotel operations executive, resort operations executive and portfolio operations leader
Growth and expansion
Emerging brand COO, franchise operations executive and growth-stage COO
Also hiring a CEO or President? See our hospitality CEO recruiter page. For Directors of Operations, see that page.
Hotel ownership groups and management companies hire a COO to run operations across a portfolio: setting service and brand standards, managing General Managers across properties, controlling labor and costs, and driving RevPAR and GOP. A hotel COO search targets leaders who have run multi-property hotel operations and can work with both ownership and brand.
JWB Hospitality recruits hotel COOs for independent hotel groups, boutique and lifestyle portfolios and hotel management companies. See also our hotel and resort executive search.
Restaurant groups usually hire their first COO when the founder or CEO can no longer run daily operations across every location. The right restaurant COO builds systems, develops Directors of Operations and General Managers, protects consistency across units and supports new openings while improving unit economics.
See also our restaurant executive search.
Restaurant groups
COOs who can scale operations, improve profitability and develop leadership teams across units.
Hotel and resort companies
Operators who can manage multiple properties, departments and revenue streams.
Private clubs
Operations leaders who balance member experience, financial performance and long-term planning.
Hospitality management companies
COOs who drive consistent performance across properties and markets.
Founders, CEOs, boards and investors
Private equity firms, family offices and ownership groups adding a COO to support growth, a turnaround or a leadership transition.
Client names are kept confidential.
We assess every COO candidate on results we can verify:
Operating results
Margin, labor and cost control, same-store sales or RevPAR, and how they improved them.
Scale
Number of units or properties, markets, P&L size and number of direct reports.
Leadership bench
The General Managers and Directors of Operations they hired and developed, and whether those leaders stayed.
Systems and consistency
The standards, training and reporting they built so quality holds at every location.
Growth
Openings, acquisitions, new markets and integrations.
Working with ownership
How they partner with the CEO, founders, boards, investors or asset managers.
References are checked with people who worked above, beside and below each candidate.
1. Discovery
We agree on the mandate, the results expected in the first 12–24 months, the reporting line and compensation.
2. Market mapping
We identify COOs and senior operators at comparable companies, segments and growth stages.
3. Confidential outreach
We approach candidates discreetly and share your company's name only with your approval.
4. Assessment
Structured interviews, results verification and references focused on operations, leadership and fit.
5. Shortlist
A small shortlist with a written assessment of each candidate.
6. Offer and transition
Support with compensation, the offer, the resignation process and the first months in the role.
JWB Hospitality works on contingency: 20% of the placed COO's first-year base salary, invoiced only when you hire. There is no upfront retainer. Every placement carries a 90-day replacement guarantee. If the COO leaves or is let go within that period, we restart the search at no added fee.
Every COO search is confidential by default. Benchmark pay first with our hospitality COO salary guide, or compare retained vs. contingency search.
What does a hospitality COO recruiter do?
A hospitality COO recruiter defines the role with the CEO, owners or board, identifies operators at comparable companies, approaches them confidentially, verifies their results and presents a short list of qualified finalists.
What does a hotel COO do?
A hotel COO oversees operations across a hotel company's properties: General Managers, service standards, labor and cost control, and financial results such as RevPAR and GOP. The role reports to ownership, asset managers or the CEO.
How do you hire a hotel COO?
Most strong hotel COOs are already employed, so ownership groups usually use a confidential executive search rather than a job posting. JWB Hospitality's COO searches typically take 45–120 days and run on contingency at 20% of first-year base salary, with a 90-day replacement guarantee.
When does a restaurant group need a COO?
Usually when the founder or CEO can no longer run daily operations across every location, or when the group is preparing to grow into new markets.
How long does a COO search take?
Most COO searches take 45 to 120 days, depending on the scope of the role, location and compensation.
How much does a COO search cost?
Hospitality search fees commonly range from about 20% to 30% of first-year compensation. JWB charges 20% of first-year base salary on contingency, with no upfront retainer.
Can you run the search confidentially?
Yes. Candidates do not learn your company's name until you approve it, including when a current COO is still in the role.
Tell us about the role. We will respond within one business day to schedule a confidential consultation.
Related: Hospitality COO salary guide · C-suite and senior executive search
JWB Hospitality
Executive search for restaurants, hotels, resorts, private clubs, and hospitality brands nationwide.