Overview

Chief Operating Officer (COO) - SMH Group

Location: Yorkshire (regional role) Salary: £125,000 - £150,000 + bonus + benefits

The Opportunity

SMH Group is a rapidly growing regional professional services firm providing accountancy, audit, tax, financial planning, corporate finance and advisory services across Yorkshire and Derbyshire. The group has grown significantly through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions of established local accountancy practices since 2018.

With offices across Sheffield, Leeds, Harrogate, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Barnsley, Rotherham, Chesterfield and surrounding areas, the firm has built a strong regional footprint while maintaining local client relationships and expertise.

SMH has secured strategic investment from Phoenix Equity Partners, supporting the group`s ambitious growth strategy and continued expansion through acquisition and organic growth.

As the business continues to scale, SMH is seeking a Group Chief Operating Officer to drive operational excellence, support partner performance, and ensure consistency across the group`s growing network of offices.

This is a highly visible leadership role reporting to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, responsible for aligning operational performance, supporting growth initiatives, and embedding a unified culture across the firm.

The role will be Yorkshire-based, with regular travel expected across group offices.

Key Responsibilities

1. Deliver consistent operational performance & optimisation
   • Improve productivity, utilisation and recoveries across the firm while maintaining high service quality.
   • Ensure operational capacity aligns with new business pipeline and client demand.
   • Monitor the firm`s new business engine to support organic growth.
   • Support partners and directors with improved operational reporting and performance insight.
   • Standardise operational processes across the group, including: Accounts, Tax, Audit, Payroll, Client onboarding, Client query management.
   • Drive operational automation and process improvement initiatives.
2. Deliver against Group budget
   • Work closely with partners to ensure site-by-site delivery against revenue and profitability targets.
   • Monitor fee earner utilisation, recovery rates and cost management across offices.
   • Establish a structured cadence of on-site visits and operational reviews with partners and office leaders.
   • Support local leadership teams in implementing corrective actions where performance improvement is required.
   • Ensure operational discipline and accountability across the group.
3. Embed group culture & collaboration
   • Ensure newly acquired firms successfully adopt SMH Group values, behaviours and service principles.
   • Work alongside the Executive Leadership Team to deliver effective change management during periods of growth.
   • Reduce "them and us" dynamics between legacy firms and newly integrated practices.
   • Build a "one firm" mindset across all offices.
   • Promote collaboration and encourage cross-selling of services across the group.
4. Support the Executive Leadership Team, Board & Shareholders
   • Act as a positive and visible leader across the business.
   • Support and reinforce leadership decisions throughout the organisation.
   • Provide operational support to partners, directors and senior stakeholders.
   • Lead discussions and communications with a coaching and mentoring approach to develop stronger leaders across the firm.
   • Contribute to strategic planning and support the continued growth of the group.

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience

• Senior operational leadership experience within a professional services organisation operating a time-billing / fee-earner model (e.g. accountancy, legal, consulting, advisory, engineering consultancy).
• Deep understanding of fee earner economics, including: Utilisation, Recovery rates, Charge-out rates, Work in progress (WIP) management, Billing cycles.
• Experience improving operational performance across multiple offices or regions.
• Proven ability to implement standardised processes and operational reporting frameworks.
• Experience supporting partner-led organisations and working closely with senior fee earners.
• Strong commercial mindset with the ability to connect operational performance to revenue and profitability.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within accountancy or audit firms.
• Experience supporting practice integrations or acquisitions.
• Exposure to practice management systems and billing platforms.
• Experience operating at COO, Operations Director, or Regional Managing Director level within a professional services firm.

Leadership & Personal Attributes

• Credible and collaborative operator able to work effectively with partners and senior professionals.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Pragmatic and hands-on approach to operational improvement.
• Strong communicator capable of aligning teams across multiple offices.
• Passion for building high-performing teams and a collaborative culture.

Location & Travel

• The role is Yorkshire-based, with flexibility on office base.
• Regular travel will be required across the firm`s regional office network.

Package

• Salary: £125,000 - £150,000
• Bonus: Performance related
• Benefits: Executive package commensurate with senior leadership role

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