Hire an ecommerce COO who builds a business that scales
When order volume doubles, operations is where a brand breaks first. A strong COO builds the systems and the team to take the volume without the wheels falling off.
About this role
An ecommerce COO owns everything between the purchase order and the customer's front door. Supply chain and inbound freight, the warehouse or 3PL, fulfilment, customer service and the technology that connects it all. Most also run the operating rhythm of the business: the weekly trading meeting, the planning cycle and the KPIs every team is measured on.
In founder-led brands, the COO is often the founder's counterweight. The founder has the ideas. The COO turns them into process and holds the business to it. For roles one level down, see our guide to hiring an Operations Manager.
Experienced ecommerce COOs are rarely in market. We find them through direct approach as part of our executive search practice. Revere Recruitment places operations leadership across ecommerce and retail brands throughout Australia.
Roles we place
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Head of Operations
Director of Operations
General Manager Operations
Head of Supply Chain & Operations
CFO & COO (combined role)
Key skills to look for
3PL and warehouse Has moved a brand from in-house fulfilment to a 3PL, or back again, and knows the cost and risk of each. Negotiates rates and SLAs that still hold up in peak.
Supply chain and inventory Owns the flow from factory to warehouse: lead times, freight, landed cost and stock availability. Works with buying and planning so the right stock lands before it is needed.
Systems Has scoped and implemented the stack a growing brand runs on. Shopify or another platform, an ERP, a WMS and the integrations between them. Knows a badly run migration can stall a business for a quarter.
Customer service Treats customer service as an operations function with its own numbers. Response time, contact rate per order, return reasons. Uses what customers complain about to fix the cause upstream.
Operating rhythm Sets the weekly and monthly cadence the leadership team runs on. Clear owners, clear KPIs and meetings that end in decisions.
Commercial acumen Knows the cost to serve an order and what fulfilment, freight and returns do to margin. Models the impact of an operational change before making it.
Executive Salary Guide
What does an ecommerce COO earn in Australia?
COO packages usually include a short-term incentive tied to operational and financial targets. In investor-backed brands, equity or an option plan is common.
Frequently asked questions
When does an ecommerce brand need a COO? Usually when the founder or CEO is spending most of the week on operations instead of growth. Common triggers are a warehouse or 3PL move, an ERP implementation, a push into wholesale or offshore markets, or a second distribution centre. If every operational problem still lands on the CEO's desk, the role is overdue.
What is the difference between a COO and an Operations Manager? An Operations Manager runs the day-to-day systems and processes, usually reporting to the CEO or COO. A COO sits on the executive team, owns operational strategy and budget, and is accountable for how the whole business runs. Some brands hire a Head of Operations first and grow the role into a COO.
Does a COO need an ecommerce background? Preferred, particularly where the role owns fulfilment, last mile and peak trading. Strong operators from retail, FMCG or logistics can transfer well if the team around them already knows ecommerce. We'll tell you where a candidate's background fits and where it doesn't.
Can a COO search stay confidential? Yes. Much of our executive recruitment work happens before the wider team, or the incumbent, knows a search is under way. We approach candidates directly and never advertise the role.
Ready to find your COO?
Tell us about the role and we'll come back to you within one business day.