Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Organizations: Greenwald Doherty LLP (employment law firm) + SignaTrain (training company)
Location: Rockland County / Suburban NY (on-site 3–4 days per week; not fully remote)
Reports to: Managing Partner (GD) / CEO (SignaTrain)
Direct Reports (initial): Operations Director, AI/Tech, Project Coordinator/Paralegal, Sales Coordinator, CFO/Finance
Why This Role Exists
Greenwald Doherty LLP (a management-side employment law firm with a subscription model) and SignaTrain (a live training and content company) are scaling quickly. We need a hands-on operator to run day-to-day execution, bring order to workflows, and ensure new technologies—especially AI—actually improve delivery, cost, and client experience.
This role is not about “big picture strategy only.” It’s about building the operating system: cadence, KPIs, vendor discipline, AI adoption, training ops, and people management across two interrelated businesses.
Key Responsibilities
Firm & Training Operations
- Establish and run the firm operating rhythm (weekly/monthly/quarterly reviews, dashboards, KPI ownership).
- Standardize workflows across intake → matter delivery → subscription support → training operations.
- Define and enforce SOPs, including clear boundaries (e.g., “question vs. matter”) to protect attorney focus.
- Oversee training company logistics: cohort scheduling, scenario video library, event run-of-show, feedback loops.
Finance & Vendor Management
- Partner with CFO on budgeting, forecasting, and resource planning.
- Track unit economics (per matter, per subscription, per training).
- Negotiate vendor contracts, consolidate duplicative tools, and deliver 10–15% savings or equivalent value.
Technology & AI Enablement
- Lead implementation of new technology (Centerbase, Gavel, HubSpot, Microsoft 365, DocuSign/Adobe Sign, video stack).
- Drive AI adoption: private LLM pilots, workflow automation, document drafting, and client portal initiatives.
- Create adoption protocols, staff training, governance, and ROI measurement for each tech rollout.
People & Change Management
- Build clear accountability structures across legal, administrative, and training functions.
- Recruit, onboard, and manage staff in operations roles.
- Lead firmwide communication and training during process or tech transitions.
- Maintain compliance policies, especially around AI use, data privacy, and client interactions.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Experience
- 8–15+ years in professional services operations (law, consulting, accounting, or training/edtech).
- Demonstrated success implementing tech-enabled operational change.
- Hands-on leadership in SOPs, KPIs, and adoption of new systems.
- Vendor management and financial literacy (forecasting, ROI, procurement).
Skills
- Strong background in workflow/process design, automation, and operational scaling.
- Comfortable with AI-driven tools, private LLM pilots, and emerging tech.
- Exceptional communication skills; can translate between attorneys, staff, and tech specialists.
- Execution-first mindset: builds the first version, then scales it.
Attributes
- Systems thinker, disciplined, high bias for action.
- Curious and adaptive—future-focused, not stuck in legacy models.
- Comfortable running two interconnected organizations.
- Local/suburban candidate preferred; thrives with in-person collaboration.
Success in the First 12 Months Looks Like
- Operating System: Dashboards, cadences, and KPIs running across both orgs.
- Workflow Discipline: Attorneys protected from admin, office manager empowered, cycle times down.
- AI Pilots: At least 2 live, with guardrails and measurable ROI.
- Cost Savings: 10–15% vendor savings or value uplift.
- Training Machine: Cohorts run predictably, content library organized, NPS ≥ 65.
- People & Org: Clear role charters, onboarding kit, performance reviews installed.
- Revenue Ops: Subscription churn <3% quarterly; upsell pipeline visible and measured.
Compensation
- Base Salary: $140,000 – $200,000 (suburban NY market, size of firm, scope of dual orgs).
- Bonus: 10–25% based on EBITDA and KPI performance.
- Future Growth: Potential to expand into equity/profit-share tied to training company growth.
#LI-AH1
