Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Company: CHRONA Location: Madrid, Spain (Hybrid) Contract: Permanent

CHRONA is an international technology group operating across multiple legal entities and distributed teams. We specialize in building and evolving tech solutions for complex, regulated, and operationally intensive business domains where speed, quality, security, process maturity, and adaptability are paramount. We are currently in a scaling phase and are seeking a strategic and results-oriented Chief Operating Officer to join our leadership team.

About the Role

The Chief Operating Officer is a critical strategic partner to the CEO, acting as the primary driver for strategy implementation across the entire organization. This role is not administrative; it is about translating strategic intent into practical, company-wide execution. You will be responsible for capturing strategic input, refining the strategy, and translating it into clear operational priorities, ensuring their successful implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy Execution: Develop operational plans, track key initiatives, remove bottlenecks, and build accountability. You will be empowered to say "no" to initiatives that do not align with strategic goals or create distraction.
• People, HR & Employer Brand: Strengthen the HR function as a strategic business partner, improve hiring, onboarding, and retention processes. Align HR and Public Relations with the company's positioning and foster a culture of ownership and growth.
• AI Transformation of Operations: Identify processes where AI can deliver significant impact, facilitate the shift to a hybrid human-AI operational model, and embed AI tools into HR, knowledge management, reporting, and employee training. AI integration should be a core component of operational maturity.
• Operational Efficiency, Speed & Security: Streamline processes to enhance cost-efficiency, transparency, and operational discipline while minimizing bureaucracy. Focus on early problem detection and swift decision-making.
• Learning Culture: Build a system for continuous learning, develop key employees, and enable knowledge sharing and leadership programs to systematically grow the company's expertise.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years in senior operational roles within large companies (500+ employees).
• Proven experience scaling an international company, including headcount growth and market expansion.
• Demonstrated success in at least 2-3 change management initiatives.
• Experience in HR management, including goal setting and KPI tracking.
• Leadership experience overseeing legal and back-office functions, including document flow and contract management.
• Collaboration with finance teams on OPEX budgeting and cost control.
• Experience with business process automation (e.g., ERP, BPM systems).
• Solid understanding of AI capabilities, with practical experience in implementation and cost optimization.
• Experience working effectively with technical teams (development, DevOps, IT infrastructure).
• Experience building learning systems, performance management frameworks, and career tracks.
• Involvement in developing employer brand and internal company culture.
• Fluent business English.

Personal & Behavioral Profile

• A proactive driver who initiates actions independently.
• Ability to understand strategic context and translate it into actionable operational plans.
• Systematic thinker focused on results, quality, and speed, not bureaucracy.
• Experience working with distributed international teams.
• Adept at strengthening HR, employer brand, and company culture.
• Views AI as a practical tool for operational transformation.
• Capable of constructively challenging and blocking misaligned initiatives.
• Strong focus on results, speed, efficiency, and security.

Expected Business Results

• Seamless integration of strategy into daily company-wide execution.
• Increased company speed, transparency, cost-efficiency, manageability, and security.
• A People function operating as a strategic partner, enhancing hiring, onboarding, retention, and accountability.
• A well-developed employer brand aligned with the company's true positioning.
• Embedded and continuously improved AI within the hybrid human+AI operating model.
• Streamlined operational processes free from unnecessary bureaucracy, with early problem detection.
• Established culture of continuous learning and employee growth.
• The CEO gains a robust operational backbone and a dedicated partner for strategy implementation.

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