Incoming administrations may consider appointing a state COO to lead strategic operations and implement high-priority projects. Those who work with state COOs could position them for success with thoughtful role definition and strong support.
Long regarded as the right-hand deputies of chief executive officers in the private sector, chief operating officers are crossing into the public sector. As of December 2018, 13 US states have COOs in place, while 24 others have COO-like roles that are narrower in scope.1 Both Democratic and Republican governors have appointed COOs, and states as small as Vermont and as large as Texas have had them. Outside the United States, the need for an operations-focused leader has led the United Kingdom to appoint a COO at the agency level. As 20 new governors take office after the 2018 elections, some of them may consider appointing state COOs.
Interestingly, the growing number of public-sector COOs coincides with a decline of the role…
