Chief of Staff / Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Job title : Chief of Staff / Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Our client, a major stakeholder in the Energy Sector is looking to hire a Chief of Staff / Chief Operating Officer (COO), who will serve as the operational lead for the Office of the CEO, ensuring that strategy translates into coordinated execution.

This role provides oversight across People and office operations, financial administration, legal, corporate governance processes, and cross-functional delivery while enabling the CEO to focus on policy leadership, stakeholder engagement, and other strategic priorities.

Role Purpose

The role acts as the central coordination point across teams, establishing operating rhythms, driving accountability, and ensuring resources, people, and processes are aligned to deliver the office mandate effectively.

Responsibilities

Office Operations & Execution

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Office of the CEO to ensure efficient and effective execution of priorities.
• Establish and maintain operating structures, workflows, reporting mechanisms, and decision-making processes across units under supervision.
• Drive execution of strategic initiatives and ensure timely delivery of agreed outcomes.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement improvements to increase efficiency.

Financial Management

• Oversee Finance functions across the organization.
• Manage organization budgeting, expenditure tracking, and administrative controls.
• Ensure operational spending aligns with approved budgets and applicable guidelines.
• Coordinate logistics and resource allocation to support office activities.

Strategic Coordination & Leadership Support

• Manage prioritization and execution of the CEO's agenda and strategic commitments.
• Serve as a central coordination point across teams to maintain focus on key initiatives.
• Support preparation for executive meetings, briefings, reviews, and decision forums.
• Track actions and ensure follow-through across stakeholders.

Stakeholder & Government Coordination

• Coordinate administrative engagement with government agencies, ministries, and relevant public institutions.
• Ensure alignment with federal procedures, protocols, and reporting expectations.
• Facilitate cross-agency collaboration where required to support delivery objectives.

HR & Operations

• Design and implement a robust human resource strategy tailored to a high-performance executive office, overseeing recruitment, onboarding, and continuous capability development.
• Establish clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for all direct reports and unit heads, driving a culture of meritocracy and accountability.
• Oversee payroll administration, benefits, and employee engagement strategies to maintain high morale and retention in a high-pressure environment.
• Supervise physical security, facilities management, and digital infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted, secure, and remote-capable operations for the Office of the CEO.
• Manage office logistics, facilities, and supplies
• Coordinate the CEO's travel arrangements and motorcade logistics
• Oversee security coordination with relevant agencies
• Manage fleet, drivers, and transportation.
• Maintain office equipment and technology infrastructure
• Oversee the end-to-end procurement processes across the different teams (Projects, Office Admin etc) in the organization.

Legal & Corporate Governance 

Ensure all operations, partnerships, and initiatives comply with relevant Nigerian laws, public procurement guidelines, and energy sector regulations (e.g., the Petroleum Industry Act - PIA, where applicable).

• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and execution of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and third-party contracts, managing external legal counsel where necessary.
• Ensure flawless secretariat support for board meetings, executive retreats, and ministerial briefing cycles. Maintain statutory records, board resolutions, and institutional memory.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate operational, legal, and reputational risks to the Office of the CEO.

Must have skills

• Skilled in mapping, documenting, and scaling complex workflows and compliance frameworks.
• Exceptional stakeholder management
• Highly tech-savvy with practical experience leveraging modern enterprise resource planning (ERP)
• Polished written and verbal communication skills
• Translates complex data, financial models, and legal briefs into actionable recommendations for CEO.
• Unwavering commitment to confidentiality and integrity

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Law, Finance, Engineering, Public Policy, or a highly related field.
• Certifications in project management or agile methodologies
• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), or Law (LL.M). 
• Active membership in relevant professional bodies.
• A minimum of 10–12 years of post-qualification experience, with at least 5 years serving in a senior operations capacity, management consulting, or as a Chief of Staff.
• Proven track record of directly managing multi-functional teams (spanning HR, Admin, Finance, and Legal) of at least 15 people.
• Direct experience owning and managing large-scale operational budgets with strict financial discipline and low variances.
• Hands-on experience navigating both corporate boardrooms (private sector) and government ministries, departments, and agencies (public sector / civil service structures).
• Direct experience working within the Nigerian energy sector (Oil & Gas, Power, or Renewable Energy).
• Previous success establishing a corporate Project Management Office (PMO) or leading an institutional transformation unit.