The COO Career Desk

Career Strategy & Growth Personal Website Whisper Job Search Agent Resume & Board Profile Readiness Audit & Strategy

A sitting COO in a boardroom overlooking the city

For sitting COOs

COO Career Desk

Your growth, your documents and your next seat, handled in private.

Where would you like to begin?

Boards hire COOs through firms like ours. Until one of them calls, the preparation is in your hands: knowing where to move, how you read when someone looks you up, being found without looking, and presenting for that exact role.

Built for: COOs and operations leaders planning a next move
Confidentiality: Nothing is published unless you approve it. No message to your employer.
How you use it: Each service stands alone. Take one, or several.

Know where to go

Confidential COO Career Strategy and Growth Planning

“I don’t know whether to move, or where.”

A private document that reads your record against the market and shows you which moves are worth making. It is written for you and sent to you, and we keep no copy.

You receiveA private strategy document, written for you alone.

Open the Career Strategy The full details and the price are on its own page.

Two senior leaders walking and talking through a career decision

Strictly confidential

Career, Compensation & Global Mobility Strategy

Prepared for you aloneGladwin International & Company

In six parts

Executive summary
Where you stand
Your pathways
Your compensation
Global mobility
Your roadmap

Illustrative layout

If I read only one page, what should I do?Executive summary
How does my record look from the outside?Where you stand
Where can I realistically go from here?Your pathways
Which move actually leaves me better off?Your compensation
Is a move abroad worth it for my family?Global mobility
What do I do next, and by when?Your roadmap

Be found in your own words

Personal Website for COOs

“When someone looks me up, I want them to find the right story.”

When a chair, a nomination committee or a search firm looks you up, what they find should be clear, current and yours. You see a private preview first, and nothing goes live until you approve it.

You receiveA website you review and approve before anything is published.

See the Personal Website The full details and the price are on its own page.

The Porcelain website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainRoyale · The Blueprint

The Porcelain website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainSignature · The Index

The Porcelain website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainAdvantage · The Frame

The Oxblood website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodRoyale · The Dossier

The Oxblood website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodSignature · The Policy Brief

The Oxblood website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodAdvantage · The Record

The Sandstone website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneRoyale · The Odyssey

The Sandstone website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneSignature · The Field Notes

The Sandstone website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneAdvantage · The Panorama

The Cypress website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

CypressRoyale · The Blueprint

The Cypress website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

CypressSignature · The Index

The Cypress website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

CypressAdvantage · The Frame

The Meridian website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianRoyale · The Dossier

The Meridian website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianSignature · The Policy Brief

The Meridian website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianAdvantage · The Record

The Indigo website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoRoyale · The Odyssey

The Indigo website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoSignature · The Field Notes

The Indigo website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoAdvantage · The Panorama

The Travertine website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineRoyale · The Blueprint

The Travertine website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineSignature · The Index

The Travertine website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineAdvantage · The Frame

The Porcelain website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainRoyale · The Dossier

The Porcelain website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainSignature · The Policy Brief

The Porcelain website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainAdvantage · The Record

The Graphite website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteRoyale · The Odyssey

The Graphite website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteSignature · The Field Notes

The Graphite website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteAdvantage · The Panorama

The Obsidian website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianRoyale · The Blueprint

The Obsidian website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianSignature · The Index

The Obsidian website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianAdvantage · The Frame

The Cypress website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

CypressRoyale · The Dossier

The Cypress website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

CypressSignature · The Policy Brief

The Cypress website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

CypressAdvantage · The Record

The Copper website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

CopperRoyale · The Odyssey

The Copper website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

CopperSignature · The Field Notes

The Copper website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

CopperAdvantage · The Panorama

The Travertine website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineRoyale · The Dossier

The Travertine website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineSignature · The Policy Brief

The Travertine website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineAdvantage · The Record

The Oxblood website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodRoyale · The Odyssey

The Oxblood website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodSignature · The Field Notes

The Oxblood website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodAdvantage · The Panorama

The Sandstone website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneRoyale · The Blueprint

The Sandstone website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneSignature · The Index

The Sandstone website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneAdvantage · The Frame

The Obsidian website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianRoyale · The Dossier

The Obsidian website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianSignature · The Policy Brief

The Obsidian website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianAdvantage · The Record

The Meridian website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianRoyale · The Odyssey

The Meridian website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianSignature · The Field Notes

The Meridian website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianAdvantage · The Panorama

The Indigo website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoRoyale · The Blueprint

The Indigo website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoSignature · The Index

The Indigo website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoAdvantage · The Frame

The Porcelain website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainRoyale · The Odyssey

The Porcelain website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainSignature · The Field Notes

The Porcelain website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

PorcelainAdvantage · The Panorama

The Graphite website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteRoyale · The Blueprint

The Graphite website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteSignature · The Index

The Graphite website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteAdvantage · The Frame

The Sandstone website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneRoyale · The Dossier

The Sandstone website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneSignature · The Policy Brief

The Sandstone website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

SandstoneAdvantage · The Record

The Cypress website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

CypressRoyale · The Odyssey

The Cypress website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

CypressSignature · The Field Notes

The Cypress website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

CypressAdvantage · The Panorama

The Copper website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

CopperRoyale · The Blueprint

The Copper website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

CopperSignature · The Index

The Copper website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

CopperAdvantage · The Frame

The Indigo website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoRoyale · The Dossier

The Indigo website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoSignature · The Policy Brief

The Indigo website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

IndigoAdvantage · The Record

The Travertine website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineRoyale · The Odyssey

The Travertine website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineSignature · The Field Notes

The Travertine website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

TravertineAdvantage · The Panorama

The Oxblood website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodRoyale · The Blueprint

The Oxblood website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodSignature · The Index

The Oxblood website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

OxbloodAdvantage · The Frame

The Graphite website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteRoyale · The Dossier

The Graphite website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteSignature · The Policy Brief

The Graphite website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

GraphiteAdvantage · The Record

The Obsidian website template, The Odyssey, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianRoyale · The Odyssey

The Obsidian website template, The Field Notes, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianSignature · The Field Notes

The Obsidian website template, The Panorama, shown for a fictional COO

ObsidianAdvantage · The Panorama

The Meridian website template, The Blueprint, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianRoyale · The Blueprint

The Meridian website template, The Index, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianSignature · The Index

The Meridian website template, The Frame, shown for a fictional COO

MeridianAdvantage · The Frame

The Copper website template, The Dossier, shown for a fictional COO

CopperRoyale · The Dossier

The Copper website template, The Policy Brief, shown for a fictional COO

CopperSignature · The Policy Brief

The Copper website template, The Record, shown for a fictional COO

CopperAdvantage · The Record

The Porcelain The Blueprint design from the Royale collection, shown with a fictional COO

The Flagship Collection, written for a COO

Open Porcelain as a live site

Demonstrations with fictional leaders. Your own portrait and approved words replace them.

Your biography, career history, case study and philosophy
A design chosen from 300, on a domain you can own
Your CV stays private and is not published automatically
Domain, hosting and a LinkedIn review, so that it all tells one story

Be found quietly

Custom Whisper Job Search Agent for COOs

“I can’t be seen looking, but I want to hear what opens up.”

An agent set up around a brief you set. While you keep running operations, Whisper works in silence and reads the market against that brief every week. When something aligns you hear first, and your identity stays protected until you choose to engage.

You receiveA steady read of the market, set against your brief.

Open the Job Search Agent The full details and the price are on its own page.

Whisper · This week Identity protected

PE-backed hospital chain, Bengaluru
FactA new round has been raised to add nine hospitals.
InferenceAn operations head above the hospital directors may be needed.
Global carmaker’s India arm, Chennai
FactA second plant has been announced, mainly for exports.
InferenceThe India operations role may be split or raised.
Family-owned chemicals group, Ahmedabad
FactEnvironmental clearance has been granted for a new site.
InferenceA professional operations head may be hired before construction.

Illustrative, not live signals

What it reads

Regulatory filings
Board announcements
Leadership changes
Funding rounds
M&A activity
IPO activity
Business news
Tenders
Conferences

The roles, sectors and locations you want, your floor, and the companies to leave out
What is known, kept apart from what is inferred
No public CV and no broadcast search
It never contacts an employer in your name

Present for the role

Custom COO Resume, COO Board Profile Development

“I am applying for a role, or several this year.”

One career, read by very different people. Choose a reader below: what an IPO board looks for first is not what a global treasury looks for. Each document is made for the role in front of you.

You receiveA document made for the one role in front of you.

Open Resume & Board Profile The full details and the price are on its own page.

First page of After the Largest Works Goes Quiet, a CV design for a Chief Supply Chain Officer

After the Largest Works Goes QuietChief Supply Chain Officer

First page of April at the Back, a CV design for a Whole-time Director, Operations

April at the BackWhole-time Director, Operations

First page of Back to White, a CV design for a COO

Back to WhiteCOO

First page of Before the Holes Were Drilled, a CV design for a Chief Supply Chain Officer

Before the Holes Were DrilledChief Supply Chain Officer

First page of Both Routes Through H Four, a CV design for a Chief Supply Chain Officer

Both Routes Through H FourChief Supply Chain Officer

First page of Five Minutes Across the Quarter, a CV design for a Whole-time Director, Operations

Five Minutes Across the QuarterWhole-time Director, Operations

First page of Second Time Through the Furnace, a CV design for a COO

Second Time Through the FurnaceCOO

First page of Six Hours on the Wharf, a CV design for a COO

Six Hours on the WharfCOO

First page of The Corner During the Turn, a CV design for a COO

The Corner During the TurnCOO

First page of The Depot at Forty, a CV design for a Chief Supply Chain Officer

The Depot at FortyChief Supply Chain Officer

First page of The Disc Inside the Ring, a CV design for a Whole-time Director, Operations

The Disc Inside the RingWhole-time Director, Operations

First page of The Other Meter, a CV design for a COO

The Other MeterCOO

First page of The Seven Extra Returns, a CV design for a COO

The Seven Extra ReturnsCOO

First page of The Short Arm of the Blend, a CV design for a COO

The Short Arm of the BlendCOO

First page of The Weight on the Far Wheel, a CV design for a Chief Supply Chain Officer

The Weight on the Far WheelChief Supply Chain Officer

First page of Thursday Already Had a Customer, a CV design for a Chief Supply Chain Officer

Thursday Already Had a CustomerChief Supply Chain Officer

First page of What a Grinding Minute Earns, a CV design for a Whole-time Director, Operations

What a Grinding Minute EarnsWhole-time Director, Operations

First page of What the Blade Took, a CV design for a Whole-time Director, Operations

What the Blade TookWhole-time Director, Operations

First page of What the Store Signed For, a CV design for a COO

What the Store Signed ForCOO

First page of Who Gets the Freed Press, a CV design for a Whole-time Director, Operations

Who Gets the Freed PressWhole-time Director, Operations

First page of A Load for the Way Back, a CV design for a SVP Supply Chain

A Load for the Way BackSVP Supply Chain

First page of Four Places by Dispatch, a CV design for a SVP Supply Chain

Four Places by DispatchSVP Supply Chain

First page of One Day off the Bore, a CV design for a SVP Manufacturing

One Day off the BoreSVP Manufacturing

First page of The Empty Spline Position, a CV design for a EVP Operations

The Empty Spline PositionEVP Operations

First page of The Line, a CV design for a Executive Vice President, Operations and Supply Chain

The LineExecutive Vice President, Operations and Supply Chain

First page of The Pin Changed at the Serial, a CV design for a SVP Manufacturing

The Pin Changed at the SerialSVP Manufacturing

First page of The Shift That Lost an Hour, a CV design for a EVP Operations

The Shift That Lost an HourEVP Operations

First page of The Third Pocket Below the Runner, a CV design for a SVP Manufacturing

The Third Pocket Below the RunnerSVP Manufacturing

First page of The Two Warm Intervals, a CV design for a SVP Supply Chain

The Two Warm IntervalsSVP Supply Chain

First page of When the Empty Frame Came Home, a CV design for a SVP Supply Chain

When the Empty Frame Came HomeSVP Supply Chain

First page of A Shelf with Three Owners, a CV design for a VP Supply Chain

A Shelf with Three OwnersVP Supply Chain

First page of At the Other Gate, a CV design for a VP Supply Chain

At the Other GateVP Supply Chain

First page of Before the Tenth Pin Was Cut, a CV design for a VP Operations

Before the Tenth Pin Was CutVP Operations

First page of Eleven Seconds at the Middle Bench, a CV design for a VP Manufacturing

Eleven Seconds at the Middle BenchVP Manufacturing

First page of The Gap Between Good Parts, a CV design for a VP Manufacturing

The Gap Between Good PartsVP Manufacturing

First page of The Sixth Fold, a CV design for a VP Procurement

The Sixth FoldVP Procurement

First page of The Space Above the Heel, a CV design for a VP Supply Chain

The Space Above the HeelVP Supply Chain

First page of The Tonnes Left After Drying, a CV design for a VP Procurement

The Tonnes Left After DryingVP Procurement

First page of Which Pieces Cost Ninety, a CV design for a VP Procurement

Which Pieces Cost NinetyVP Procurement

First page of Which Side of the Limit, a CV design for a VP Operations

Which Side of the LimitVP Operations

First page of A Fifth Card on the Rail, a CV design for a Director Operations

A Fifth Card on the RailDirector Operations

First page of Air on the Consignment Note, a CV design for a Head of Procurement

Air on the Consignment NoteHead of Procurement

First page of Both Lots on One Award, a CV design for a Head of Procurement

Both Lots on One AwardHead of Procurement

First page of The Case That Became Ten, a CV design for a Head of Supply Chain

The Case That Became TenHead of Supply Chain

First page of The Hold Began at the Next Plate, a CV design for a Director Operations

The Hold Began at the Next PlateDirector Operations

First page of The Right-Hand Castings, a CV design for a Head of Procurement

The Right-Hand CastingsHead of Procurement

First page of Twenty Already on the Shelf, a CV design for a Plant Head

Twenty Already on the ShelfPlant Head

First page of Two Blanks from Every Heat, a CV design for a Plant Head

Two Blanks from Every HeatPlant Head

First page of Two Widths of Belt, a CV design for a Head of Supply Chain

Two Widths of BeltHead of Supply Chain

First page of Where Lot Seventeen Went, a CV design for a Plant Head

Where Lot Seventeen WentPlant Head

Written for the private-equity board and the CEO

Your name

COO

Operations leader who builds processes that hold while a company triples in size.

Leads with

Margin restored while revenue kept growing
Standards and procurement you centralised, with timelines
Working capital released for the investors

Steps back

Single-site plant detail

Illustrative layout, not a real candidate

A senior leader presenting to a board around a table

Prepare for the bigger seat

COO to Group COO / CEO Readiness Audit and Strategy

“I want to know whether I am ready for the bigger seat, and what stands in the way.”

Group COO and CEO are two different tests, decided by people who rarely tell you why you were passed over. We read your record as they would, say plainly whether it holds, and set out what to do about each gap. The Ascent, further down this page, is a free three-minute rating of yourself. This reads your actual record.

You receiveA private audit with a verdict for the seat you chose, and the strategy to close each gap.

Open the Readiness Audit The full details and the price are on its own page.

Strictly confidential · Prepared for you alone

Readiness Audit

COO to Group COO

VerdictClose, with two gaps to fill

Operations Across BusinessesPartial
Capital Allocation Between BusinessesPartial
Margin Ownership, Not Only CostEvidenced
Board Seat & Statutory AccountabilityNot yet evidenced
Group Safety & ESGEvidenced

First moveOwn the capex case for both divisions in the next budget.

Illustrative layout

Your record read against ten dimensions for the seat you chose
Each one rated: evidenced, partial or not yet evidenced
What to start, stop and amplify, in a dated sequence
A plain answer, including "not yet" when that is the truth

How they work together

Each stands alone. Together, they cover the whole move.

Before you move
Know where to go, and whether you are ready for the seat you want.
Career Strategy & Growth Readiness Audit & Strategy
Before anyone looks
Make sure that what they find is clear, current and yours.
Personal Website
While you keep working
Hear what is opening up, without being seen looking.
Whisper Job Search Agent
When a role appears
Present your record for the people who will read it first.
Resume & Board Profile

Senior leaders on a panel in front of an audience

Why a search firm

We know how these records get read, because we read them.

Gladwin International is an executive search firm, with 95+ COO and operations head placements since 2010. The Career Desk puts that knowledge on your side of the table: what a chair, a Nomination & Remuneration Committee or a promoter looks for, before they ever call.

The line we hold

The Search Desk works for boards. The Career Desk works for you.

Buying here does not put you on a shortlist for our retained searches, and not buying does not keep you off one.
We do not contact your employer, and nothing about you is published unless you approve it.

Before you begin

Questions about the desk

Also for you

COO Self Serve Tools COO Jobs & Applications

Where should I begin if I am not sure?

If you do not know whether to move, begin with the Career Strategy. If you already have a bigger seat in mind, begin with the Readiness Audit. If a role is in front of you now, begin with the document for it.

Do I have to buy more than one?

No. Each service stands alone, with its own page and its own order.

Will my employer find out?

We do not contact your employer. Nothing is published unless you approve it, and Whisper never contacts anyone in your name.

Do I need an account?

No. You can order from each service’s own page with secure Razorpay payment, and your GST invoice comes to your email. The Personal Website is ordered through its packages.

Can any of this get me a role?

No one can promise a role, and we do not. These services prepare you and keep you informed. The appointment is decided by the people who appoint.

The Ascent

COO → CEO Readiness Audit

The COO role is the ultimate CEO proving ground — but operational excellence alone won't get you there. Vision, board relationships, and external presence are the differentiators.

Start Your Audit

Takes 3 minutes · 10 dimensions · Personalised gap analysis