Deputy Commissioner & Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Full-time position with benefits. Salary range: $76.92 - $96.15 per hour. Work location: 60 E South Temple, Suite 300, Salt Lake City, UT. Background check required.

About the Role

The Deputy Commissioner & Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as a senior operating leader for GOED, responsible for translating the Commissioner’s priorities into measurable results and ensuring the agency operates effectively. Reporting directly to the Commissioner, the COO drives internal execution, budget and resource management, operational performance, and accountability. The role also supports the Commissioner in leading the agency and helps provide leadership continuity when needed.

Responsibilities

• Translate strategic priorities into clear plans, owners, budgets, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead agency-wide operating and performance reviews and track progress against key priorities.
• Provide executive oversight of GOED’s budget, financial planning, operations, and resource allocation.
• Be directly responsible for the integrity, administration, and oversight of GOED’s grant and compliance programs and contract management.
• Align spending, staffing, and resources with agency priorities and performance.
• Establish clear internal accountability and ensure teams deliver against commitments.
• Identify operational barriers, resolve issues, and keep priorities moving.
• Improve internal processes, coordination, systems, and organizational effectiveness.
• Use data, KPIs, and performance measures to inform decisions and drive results.
• Support the Commissioner in leading and managing the agency, including providing leadership continuity when the Commissioner is traveling or unavailable.
• Help build a culture of accountability, collaboration, fiscal discipline, and results.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in operations, management, finance, business, government, economic development, consulting, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, teams, operations, and complex organizational priorities.
• Proven ability to translate strategy into execution and deliver measurable results.
• Strong financial, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience with significant senior leadership responsibility.
• Graduate degree in business, public administration, finance, economics, law, or a related field.
• Experience overseeing significant budgets, operations, grants, compliance, contracts, or organizational performance.
• Experience improving organizational systems, processes, and accountability.
• Familiarity with public-sector budgeting, procurement, contracting, grants, compliance, or state government operations.

Ideal Candidate

GOED is looking for an exceptional operator and executor who combines strong judgment with a bias toward action. The ideal candidate brings structure to complexity, aligns people and resources around priorities, maintains strong financial and operational discipline, holds teams accountable, solves problems quickly, and consistently moves the organization from priorities to results.

Benefits

The State of Utah offers a highly competitive benefits package.

About the Organization

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) champions Gov. Cox’s commitment to providing economic opportunity for all Utahns. The office supports Utah entrepreneurs and businesses. We work to retain and recruit companies and bring more high-paying jobs to Utah. In addition, we work with industries, Utah regions, communities, and nonprofits to implement strategic economic development plans and reinforce Utah’s already diverse, prosperous economy. We utilize federal and state resources and private sector contracts to cultivate economic prosperity for all Utahns.