Chief Operating Officer

Direct Reports:
Leads our deal execution, marketing, and operations teams.

Location:

Carmel, IN (in office)

Type:
Full time

Highpoint Advisors is a sell-side M&A advisory firm for owners of veterinary, dental, and other healthcare practices.

We guide owners through one of the biggest decisions of their careers, from understanding what their practice is worth to closing a sale that fits their goals. Our clients trust us because we act like advisors, not vendors, and every part of the firm is built around that relationship.

Highpoint is growing, and we are hiring our first Chief Operating Officer to run the firm day to day. You will be the CEO's partner and second in command, turning the firm's strategy into an operating plan and making sure every team has what it needs to deliver for clients.

You will oversee deal execution, marketing and communications, and operations, and own the business functions that hold everything together: finance, people, systems, and process. This role frees our founder to focus on vision, key relationships, and growth, so you will need to be comfortable being the person the team comes to first.

• Partner with the CEO to set annual goals, priorities, and the operating plan, then own the execution.
• Serve as the first point of escalation for day-to-day decisions across the firm.
• Give the CEO a clear, regular view of firm performance, pipeline, and risks.
• Own the sell-side deal process, making sure our team has what it needs to guide every client from first conversation to closing day.
• Partner closely with the Advisors, who report to the CEO, to support their client work with the right people, process, and tools.
• Build visibility into the engagement pipeline.
• Manage deal team capacity and analyst support so client work stays on schedule.
• Standardize the engagement process, documents, and handoffs so every client gets a consistent, high-quality experience.
• Hold the team to clear standards for timelines, CRM use, and client communication.

• Own budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, working with our outside accounting partners.
• Lead people operations: hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, compensation planning, and policies.
• Own the firm's systems and tools, including CRM, project management, and document management.
• Manage vendors, contracts, insurance, and compliance.
• Put simple, scalable processes in place so the firm can grow without adding friction.

• Lead the Director of Marketing & Communications and align marketing and lead generation with deal team capacity and firm goals.
• Make sure the client experience is consistent from first contact through closing and beyond, including referrals and client events.
• Track the full path from lead to signed engagement to closed deal, and use it to guide investment.

• Coach and develop your direct reports and help them grow their teams.
• Plan headcount ahead of growth and lead hiring for new roles.
• Protect the culture that makes Highpoint feel like a trusted advisor to clients and a great place to work for the team.

• Build strong working relationships with the CEO and each team lead.
• Learn the engagement process end to end and sit in on client work across stages.
• Deliver an assessment of what is working, what is not, and a prioritized plan for the year.

• A clear operating rhythm, with goals and scorecards for every team.
• Reliable pipeline and capacity reporting that the CEO and leadership team use every week.
• A documented, consistent engagement process from signing to close.
• Core people practices in place: onboarding, reviews, and a hiring plan.
• The CEO spending most of his time on strategy, relationships, and growth rather than daily operations.

• A background in financial services is strongly preferred, such as M&A, investment banking, commercial banking, accounting, wealth management, private equity, or another professional financial services firm.
• 10 or more years of experience in operations or general management, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role, ideally in financial or professional services.
• Experience leading a small or founder-led firm through growth.
• A track record of managing leaders, including revenue-producing or client-facing teams.
• Strong financial acumen: budgeting, forecasting, and running a business by the numbers.
• Comfort…