[Remote] Chief Operating Officer & Country Head (CEFA US)

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Korn Ferry has partnered with CEFA to find a Chief Operating Officer & Country Head for the U.S. market. This role is responsible for launching, operating, and scaling CEFA's U.S. business while ensuring the brand's vision and standards are executed in alignment with local market conditions. Responsibilities • Develop and execute CEFA's U.S. market strategy and growth strategy in alignment with the CEO-defined priorities and CEFA's long-term vision • Lead the end-to-end launch of CEFA's initial U.S. schools, including pilot execution, early performance stabilization, and refinement of a repeatable U.S. expansion model • Conduct market analysis to identify priority regions, competitive dynamics, and franchise growth opportunities • Adapt and position CEFA's brand for the U.S. market, preserving the integrity of CEFA's proprietary curriculum, culture, and values • Oversee U.S. marketing and communications strategies tailored to American families and franchise partners • Build sustainable U.S. revenue streams through franchise performance, growth initiatives, and strategic partnerships • Monitor U.S. financial performance, including unit-level economics, and make sure it aligns with growth and profitability objectives • Establish CEFA as a scalable, execution-ready organization in the United States by building U.S.-specific operational capabilities while leveraging CEFA's established systems, manuals, and centralized Canadian back-office infrastructure • CEFA's Canadian shared services will support core back-office functions, including finance, payroll, banking coordination, legal documentation, HR administration, systems, and policy frameworks. The COO & Country Head will serve as the primary U.S. business owner and interface with these teams, ensuring U.S. operational requirements are clearly defined, prioritized, and effectively executed • The COO & Country Head retains full accountability for U.S.-facing execution, including school openings, staffing models, franchisee performance, parent experience, local compliance, and consistent delivery of CEFA's curriculum and standards across all U.S. locations • Own and continuously improve U.S. franchise partners unit economics, including ramp-up timelines, labor models, tuition pricing frameworks, and long-term franchisee profitability • Act as the primary operational partner and escalation point for U.S. franchise partners, driving performance improvement, satisfaction, and long-term retention • Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing U.S.-based team to support execution, growth, and franchise success • Foster a positive, collaborative, and values-driven CEFA culture across U.S. operations • Serve as CEFA's senior representative in the United States, building trusted relationships with franchisees, families, educators, regulators, landlords, and community partners • Ensure U.S. franchise partners are well-supported, financially successful, and deeply aligned with CEFA's brand and values • Act as a spokesperson for CEFA in U.S. media and public forums, promoting thought leadership in early childhood education • Build partnerships with universities, teacher training programs, and mission-aligned organizations to strengthen CEFA's talent pipeline and community impact • Identify opportunities to enhance CEFA's curriculum and programming for U.S. cultural and regulatory contexts • Monitor industry trends and emerging best practices to ensure CEFA remains at the forefront of early childhood education • Partner with CEFA leadership to introduce digital tools and systems that enhance operational efficiency, parent engagement, and competitive differentiation • Implement systems to track student outcomes, franchise performance, and customer satisfaction, driving continuous improvement • Serve as the executive owner of regulatory, licensing, and operational compliance for CEFA's United States business • Ensure all U.S. operations comply with federal, state, and local regulations governing early childhood education and franchise systems, including the FTC Franchise Rule, childcare licensing requirements, employment laws, and health and safety standards • Oversee U.S. licensing, permitting, and inspection processes for new and operating schools, in collaboration with CEFA's Canadian legal and compliance teams • Proactively monitor regulatory changes and adjust U.S. operational practices to protect CEFA's brand, licenses, and growth trajectory Skills • 15–20+ years of progressive leadership experience in franchise, multi-site, or regulated service organizations, ideally within early learning, education, or mission-aligned sectors • Demonstrated success launching and scaling operations in new markets, including building repeatable operating models from early-stage pilots • Proven ability to drive unit-level P&L performance and franchisee profitability • Strong understanding of U.S. regulatory and licensing requirements for childcare and franchise systems • Experience operating as a country leader or senior operator within a founder-led or privately held organization • Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to inspire confidence among franchisees, partners, and internal teams • Strong financial and operational acumen, with experience managing budgets, forecasts, and multi-site performance • Technology-savvy, with experience leveraging systems and digital tools to support operational scale and customer engagement • Commitment to CEFA's mission, values, and dedication to high-quality early childhood education Company Overview • Korn Ferry is a global consulting firm that powers performance. It was founded in 1969, and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, US, with a workforce of 10001+ employees. Its website is Company H1B Sponsorship • Korn Ferry has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 11 in 2025, 11 in 2024, 5 in 2023, 16 in 2022, 12 in 2021, 25 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Apply tot his job