
Chief Operating Officer (COO) at GHJ (Los Angeles, CA)
GHJ· Los Angeles, CA· $350k–$450k·
Role details
Salary
$350k–$450k
Work type
Onsite
Employment
Full-Time
Level
Executive
Job description
GHJ Search and Staffing serves as the recruitment division of GHJ, a prominent national accounting and advisory firm. Our team provides qualified Accounting and Finance professionals on a temporary and permanent basis across a broad range of industries. GHJ’s relationship with our Global Advisory and Accounting Network provides the resources needed to better understand client’s needs, attract a higher caliber of candidates and assess candidate potential.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead HR, recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and retention initiatives
- Oversee benefits strategy and renewals, including relationships with brokers and providers
- Lead firmwide administrative operations and establish clear, scalable procedures and accountability
- Evaluate staffing needs, resource allocation, workflows, and operational efficiency
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Managing Partner and support firm leadership on strategic initiatives
- Help capture and institutionalize critical operational knowledge while supporting long-term succession planning
- Negotiate major vendor, insurance, benefits, and legal technology contracts
- Maintain strong working knowledge of legal technology and business systems and support new implementations
- Partner with the Controller on budgeting, financial planning, KPIs, and business performance
- Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture while providing leadership and mentorship to administrative teams
Qualifications
- Significant progressive leadership experience within a law firm, accounting firm, or other professional services environment
- Strong background in HR, recruiting, employee relations, and people leadership
- Demonstrated success improving operations, workflows, and organizational processes
- Experience managing and negotiating significant vendor and service-provider relationships
- Familiarity with legal or professional services technology and business systems
- Strong financial acumen and ability to partner effectively with finance leadership
- Exceptional judgment, discretion, organization, and follow-through
- Executive presence with the ability to build credibility across partners, leadership, and staff
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related field
Why Join?
- Serve as the senior business executive of an established law firm with direct access to the Managing Partner
- Take ownership of a broad operational function where your impact will be highly visible
- Play a meaningful role in leadership succession and the long-term evolution of the firm
- Join a relationship-driven culture that values collaboration and long-term employee retention
- Competitive $350,000–$450,000 base salary, plus bonus opportunity and comprehensive executive benefits
Why work at GHJ
- Culture: “#BeMore” philosophy encourages employees to be their best selves – not just work more. Emphasis on work-life balance, community engagement, and authenticity.
- Hybrid/Remote Policy: Hybrid work environment is the norm; flexible arrangements for most roles. Dedicated Wellness Weeks (summer and winter) and unlimited PTO for exempt staff.
- Benefits: Comprehensive benefits including health, retirement, professional development, and matching charitable donations.
- DEIA: Strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility with internal cohorts and firmwide initiatives.
- Growth Opportunities: Mentoring program, ongoing training, committee involvement (e.g., recruiting, industry teams, DEIA cohorts), and clear career paths.
- Awards: Consistently named a “Best Firm to Work For,” “Top 100 Firm,” and recognized for innovation and employee experience.