Senior Living COO / VP Operations Search

Operational leadership for complex senior living organizations.

LM Hurley & Associates recruits senior living COOs, Vice Presidents of Operations, Executive Vice Presidents, and VP/COO leaders who can translate strategy into performance across communities, teams, residents, families, boards, and ownership groups.

Titles This Search Supports

Senior living operations titles vary by organization. We focus on the scope of responsibility, reporting relationship, operational complexity, and leadership impact behind the title.

Chief Operating Officer

Vice President of Operations

Executive Vice President

VP/COO

Senior Operations Executive

Where This Role Matters Most

COO and VP Operations searches are especially important when an organization needs stronger operating discipline, multi-site consistency, succession planning, board confidence, or leadership capable of aligning mission with measurable performance.

Life Plan Communities & CCRCs

Multi-Site Senior Living Operators

Assisted Living & Memory Care Organizations

Independent Living Communities

Board-Led and Owner-Led Organizations

What Strong COO / VP Operations Leaders Bring

The best senior living operations leaders combine strategic thinking, field credibility, financial discipline, resident-centered judgment, and the ability to lead through complexity.

Operational Judgment

They know how to assess priorities, make sound decisions, and guide leaders through complexity without losing sight of mission.

Multi-Site Leadership

They can support community leaders, regional teams, and centralized functions while building consistency across locations.

Culture & Accountability

They create operating rhythms where expectations are clear, leaders are supported, and teams understand what success requires.

Resident-Centered Focus

They understand that operational performance must support resident experience, family trust, care quality, and service excellence.

Financial Discipline

They connect staffing, occupancy, expenses, capital priorities, and service expectations to sustainable organizational performance.

Board & CEO Partnership

They provide the confidence, communication, and leadership presence needed to support CEOs, boards, owners, and stakeholders.

Common COO / VP Operations Search Challenges

Senior living operations searches are rarely simple title matches. The strongest candidates are often below the surface and must be evaluated for scope, fit, judgment, and leadership context.

Title Variation

COO, EVP, VP Operations, and VP/COO roles can look different depending on ownership, governance, size, and complexity.

Below-the-Surface Talent

The strongest operations leaders are often succeeding elsewhere and are not actively searching job boards.

Organizational Fit

The right leader must align with the CEO, board, ownership, culture, mission, and operating realities of the organization.

Performance Balance

Successful leaders must balance resident experience, people leadership, occupancy, compliance, financial performance, and long-term stability.

Related Senior Living Operations Case Studies

Selected examples of senior living operations searches where leadership judgment, organizational fit, and direct recruiting mattered.

VP/COO Search That Led to CEO Succession

A senior living operations search that ultimately produced both immediate operational leadership and long-term succession value.

View Case Study

VP/COO Search for a Dual-Licensed Organization

A complex search requiring a leader who could operate across multiple regulatory and service environments.

View Case Study

Executive Vice President / COO Search

A senior operations leadership search focused on executive presence, operational capability, and organizational fit.

View Case Study

Senior Director of Operations Search

A leadership search requiring strong field credibility, operational discipline, and the ability to support community performance.

View Case Study

Need a senior living COO or operations leader?

Let’s discuss the role, the operating context, and the type of leader who can move your organization forward.

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