Chief Operating Officer Full Time

Crunch is a multi-award winning Accountancy Software as a Service (SaaS) company, born in the heart of Brighton in 2009, with a brilliant team of 125 and over 40,000 users of our software.

Together, we single-handedly pioneered a complete online accounting solution to empower self-employed contractors, freelancers and micro-businesses in the UK, helping them to grow their business and create the lives they want as part of a powerful community.

We’re on the hunt for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who is perfect for us, and we’re very excited, as we haven’t had this role in place for a long time.

As we have two office based teams, candidates should live within a reasonable commuting distance of Brighton & Hove and can visit the offices regularly as required, whilst also working from home and embracing hybrid working.

About the role:

This role will be the lynchpin of our Leadership Team and provide crucial directional oversight to our company Boards of Directors, responsible for overseeing the day to day running of Crunch, helping us to effectively scale our processes and ensure optimum operational excellence and efficiency.

Working closely with our Founder & CEO to support the rest of our talented and brilliant team to develop and implement our strategic plan so it aligns with our company goals, and enabling us to embrace innovation to drive sustainable business growth and success.

Role responsibilities:

A full Job Description is available on request but to summarise, we’re looking for someone who can:

• Provide high level tactical support to our Founder & CEO, to execute our mission with an external perspective, and compliment the skills of an established and experienced team of department heads.
• Be an inspiring role model and leader, skilfully overseeing most of our functional departments in the business.
• Help us to deliver our company Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), to deliver increased revenue, improve our efficiency, drive client retention in the face of intensifying competition and enable a high performing team.
• Guide the business seamlessly through a change programme to modernise our structures and systems, streamline our processes and utilise the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) throughout our operations.

About your skills and experience:

Essential:

• Extensive commercial and operational experience as a strategic C-Suite leader of multiple high performing cross-functional teams.
• An inspirational and self aware leader who can foster and enhance a culture of accountability, trust, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Strong track record of scaling successful businesses in different markets and territories, including Merger & Acquisition (M&A) activity.
• Able to articulate how we can effectively drive growth and efficiency in the face of intensifying competition and other external pressures, and execute a plan of deliverable outcomes based on prior experience.
• Embraces present and futuristic ways of working to drive efficiency and productivity bespoke to each department’s needs, including the optimisation of innovation including Artificial Intelligence (AI) automation.
• Data driven and level headed decision maker with exceptional business acumen and analytical skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management or a related field.

Desirable:

• Software as a Service (SaaS), FinTech and/or professional services sector experience.
• An MBA qualification or other professional accreditations.

What you’ll get in return:

We’re very proud of our collaborative and inclusive working environment – you’ll be working as part of a fun and vibrant team, with a whole host of fantastic company benefits!

These include:

• A competitive remuneration package, depending on experience at this C-Suite level.
• 36 days holiday a year (including bank holidays) – plus an extra half day off on your birthday.
• Long service gift awards plus extra holidays for long service milestones.
• Workplace pension scheme with Scottish Widows after qualifying service period.
• Enhanced Individual Private Medical Insurance with Bupa from day one of employment.
• Life assurance (4 x salary).
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Enhanced pay for parental and family leave.
• One paid volunteering leave day per year.
• Shopping and insurance discounts with Crunch Perks via Boostworks.
• Employee ‘refer a friend’ scheme (clients and candidates for jobs at Crunch).
• Company funded social events.

Hiring Process

• CV screening based on relevant experience, including the essential and desirable criteria for the role to shortlist for initial calls.
• A call with the Head of People of Crunch for some initial questions to help us shortlist for interviews.
• An interview with our Founder & CEO and a couple of our other Directors.
• A final stage presentation with some key business stakeholders.
• Anticipated start date from around September 2025 for the successful candidate (subject to current notice period.)

Other information:

• This role is open to applicants with the right to live and work in the UK.
• Please note that we’re unable to offer sponsorship to overseas candidates.
• The usual working hours are Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 17:30.
• Candidates will only be considered who live within a reasonable commuting distance of Brighton & Hove, as there is no relocation package or travel/accommodation expenses for this role.
• You need to be able to work from home in a comfortable, private environment, with a solid internet connection (a minimum of 10-12 Mbps upload speed) and a suitable desk and chair.
• A company laptop will be provided, This would be collected from one of our offices prior to starting.

If an applicant discloses any disability or learning difficulty, we will endeavour to provide reasonable accommodation to participate in the interview(s), which are usually carried out remotely on video calls. If you consider yourself to have a disability or learning difficulty and would like to discuss additional support available, please let us know.

Crunch is committed to equal opportunities in every aspect of our company and the community, embracing and promoting a diverse and inclusive environment for our team members, those who apply to work for us and our client base, without exception.

We believe that the key to our success is our people, we value the contributions and experiences of all who make up our community. Supported by our company policies and procedures, we will take every possible step to ensure that no person will suffer direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, age, neurodiversity or disability status.

Crunch reserves the right to perform pre-employment checks using a designated third party partner on all successful applicants for roles at Crunch, (including but not limited to): Right to Work in the UK verification, DBS check, address check, employment references and UK credit checks. Candidates will be informed of the requirement for these by Crunch in advance of these being completed.

No recruitment companies or agencies please as we’re unable to accept unsolicited CVs for our vacancies.

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