Job Description

GLOBAL LOCATION STRATEGIES

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER / INTEGRATOR

Do you know how to lead in a business where the work is complex, the people are smart and driven, and the pace moves fast? Can you take in different ideas and perspectives, ask the right questions, and bring clarity without losing sight of the objective? Do you communicate with polish and tact, understand your audience, and know the right altitude for the conversation? If you are a discerning executive who thrives in a high-standard professional services environment, we want to talk to you!

Our ideal Chief Operating Officer / Integrator is:

• Discerning: You ask the right questions, think through different angles, and know how to separate the highest-value priorities from the things that can wait
• Polished and Self-Aware: You communicate with confidence, tact, and sophistication. You understand your audience, know the right altitude for the conversation, and bring finesse to sensitive or challenging situations
• Disciplined: You bring order and ownership to a fast-moving environment. You prioritize well, keep many moving pieces on track, and follow through on what needs to get done
• Empowering: You trust people, remove obstacles, and help leaders build the confidence and ownership to fully lead their areas. You make people feel heard, set clear expectations, and are willing to have hard conversations when needed
• Curious and Adaptable: You learn quickly, embrace technology, and are willing to challenge “this is how we’ve always done it.” You ask questions, step into unfamiliar issues, and look for better ways to move the business forward
• Steady and Direct: You are self-assured, grounded, and comfortable with healthy disagreement. You are willing to say the hard thing, challenge ideas without making it personal, and be decisive

Our ideal COO / Integrator will help GLS strengthen the business behind its work and move closer to its vision of becoming the gold standard in location advisory consulting.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build a strong working partnership with the Visionary through consistent communication, regular alignment, and clear visibility into priorities, decisions, and emerging issues.
• Partner with the Visionary on major strategic decisions, bringing the context, analysis, and perspective needed to make strong decisions.
• Translate the Visionary’s strategic direction into clear priorities and execution across the business.
• Lead the Executive Leadership Team, setting clear expectations, creating alignment around priorities and decisions, and holding leaders accountable for results.
• Grow and develop leaders, giving them the clarity, resources, and support to make strong decisions and fully own their functions.
• Lead and hold accountable the Finance and Administration leaders, ensuring those functions effectively support the needs and performance of the business
• Strengthen cross-functional alignment across Revenue, Consulting, Finance, and Administration, removing obstacles that keep leaders from executing effectively.
• Turn GLS’s strategic priorities into clear plans, ownership, and measurable execution.
• Establish clear priorities and sequencing so new ideas do not derail committed work.
• Build and improve the structure, systems, and operating rhythms that make great work more repeatable without losing the judgment and quality GLS is known for
• Identify the highest-value opportunities to improve operating performance, scalability, and profitability.
• Own the P&L and lead the finance function, using financial insight to improve profitability, cash flow, and overall business performance
• Champion the thoughtful use of AI, technology, and new tools to improve how GLS works while protecting quality and client confidence.
• Lead high-priority initiatives that cut across functions or do not sit cleanly within one leader’s lane.

** This is a hybrid role based in Greenville, SC, with an expectation of working in the office 3–4 days per week.**

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 3–5+ years of senior leadership experience running a company, division, business unit, or similarly broad cross-functional operation
• Experience scaling a business starting in approximately the $5M–$15M revenue range, including improving efficiency, overhead structure, and bottom-line margin
• Experience managing a P&L and using cash flow, balance sheet, forecasts, and performance trends to guide business decisions
• Experience leading and developing managers and senior leaders across a distributed workforce
• Experience implementing AI, software, or other technology to improve how the business operates
• Experience leading in a professional services business

Preferred

• Experience scaling a business of approximately the $10M–$25M+ revenue range
• Experience working with an owner, founder, or Visionary
• Experience leading global teams
• Experience with EOS, Pinnacle, or a similar operating system
• Experience with business tools such as QuickBooks, Claude, Microsoft Teams, Pipedrive, or HubSpot
• Experience in advisory services, consulting, or management consulting

Desired

• Experience in site selection, economic development, or a related advisory field

THE COMPANY – GLOBAL LOCATION STRATEGIES

Global Location Strategies is the leading site selection and incentive negotiation firm for manufacturing and industrial companies. Whether clients are expanding into a new market or scaling up a new technology, their location investment decisions not only impact their success but also leave an indelible mark on the community, the company, and the team. Wherever the search may lead, the GLS team is there to be their guide.

Global Location Strategies was initially formed in the 1970s within Fluor Corporation, a Fortune 500 engineering and construction firm, at its Greenville, South Carolina office. In 2009, GLS was outsourced from Fluor with Didi Caldwell at the helm. Since that time, GLS has grown from two employees to over a dozen with more than 100 years of cumulative site location and economic development experience. Today, GLS is recognized as a trusted source for site selection and incentive negotiations, economic development consulting, and bespoke industry insights.

Core Values

1. Serious and fun
2. Insatiably curious
3. Resourceful innovators
4. We Strive for Excellence in Our Zone of Genius
5. We carry each other
6. Uncompromising integrity

WHY WORK WITH US?

• Work alongside smart, driven people who care deeply about doing great work and maintaining a high standard
• Be part of a highly specialized firm doing complex, high-stakes work that has a real impact on companies and communities
• Join a culture that values curiosity, integrity, thoughtful challenge, and continuous improvement
• Enjoy the variety and visibility that come with a smaller firm, where you can stay close to the work and the broader business
• Be part of a company that is actively evolving, embracing technology and AI, and looking for better ways to work
• Help build the next chapter of a firm with the ambition to become the gold standard in location advisory consulting

Salary: $200,000 - $220,000 + profit-sharing bonus opportunity

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) match, Flexible PTO, Paid Holidays, Life and Disability Insurance, Cell Phone Stipend, Professional Development, and Employee Assistance Program

Ready to help set the gold standard for what comes next? Apply today!