Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Illinois
Chief Operating Officer jobs in Illinois are actively sought across finance, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing, with demand at every level from emerging operations leaders through seasoned C-suite executives. Chicago draws the largest share of openings, with substantial activity in Naperville and Schaumburg as well, where firms like Allstate, Baxter International, and United Airlines maintain significant operations and regularly recruit at the COO level. The most in-demand specialties in Illinois center on healthcare operations, supply chain leadership, and financial services execution. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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What You'll Do
- Lead the global engineering and technical operations strategy for CBRE's Industrial, Logistics & Defense sector, ensuring consistent execution of engineering standards, operational excellence, and technical governance across a complex portfolio.
- Establish and oversee global engineering standards, maintenance programs, asset management frameworks, and technical operating procedures that drive reliability, efficiency, safety, and compliance.
- Serve as the senior engineering subject matter expert for the sector, providing technical leadership and guidance on critical building systems, infrastructure, maintenance strategies, and operational risk management.
- Partner with account, sector, and enterprise leadership to develop and execute engineering strategies that enhance asset performance, support client objectives, and deliver commercial value.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment reliability, lifecycle management, sustainability, energy optimization, and operational efficiency.
- Lead engineering governance programs and ensure alignment with regulatory, environmental, health, safety, and client-specific requirements across global operations.
- Support capital planning, infrastructure investment decisions, and long-term asset management strategies to maximize operational performance and return on investment.
- Evaluate engineering and technical operations performance across the portfolio, identifying opportunities to improve service delivery, reduce risk, and optimize costs.
- Collaborate with account leaders and clients to develop technical solutions that support business growth, operational resilience, and complex engineering requirements.
- Provide leadership and direction to engineering and technical operations teams globally, building organizational capability, developing technical talent, and driving a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
- Leverage deep expertise across engineering, facilities management, maintenance, reliability, and asset management disciplines to solve complex operational challenges and support strategic decision-making.
- Lead the resolution of highly complex technical and operational issues through advanced critical thinking, engineering expertise, and business judgment
- Represent the Engineering & Technical Operations function with executive leadership and clients, influencing strategic initiatives and driving alignment between technical priorities and business objectives.
- Model behaviors consistent with CBRE's RISE values while fostering a culture centered on safety, innovation, operational excellence, and client service.
- Expected Travel: up to 70%
What You'll Need
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline required; advanced degree preferred.
- Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated ability to align engineering and technical operations strategies to business objectives, financial performance, and client outcomes.
- Extensive knowledge of facilities management disciplines, including engineering, maintenance, reliability, asset management, capital planning, energy management, and operational risk.
- Proven experience leading engineering and technical operations within complex, multi-site portfolios.
- Experience operating in industrial, logistics, manufacturing, distribution, defense, or similarly complex technical environments strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to optimize asset performance, reliability, and operational efficiency while maintaining compliance, safety, and service excellence.
- Experience developing and executing technical operations strategies across geographically dispersed teams and client portfolios.
CBRE carefully considers multiple factors to determine compensation, including a candidate’s education, training, and experience. The minimum salary for the Global Director position is $220,000 annually and the maximum salary for the Global Director position is $240,000 annually. The compensation offered to a successful candidate will depend on their skills, qualifications, and experience. Successful candidates will also be eligible for a discretionary bonus based on CBRE’s applicable benefit program. This role will provide the following benefits: 401(K), Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, and Vision insurance.
Equal Employment Opportunity: CBRE has a long-standing commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, veteran status, political belief, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
Candidate Accommodations: CBRE values the differences of all current and prospective employees and recognizes how every employee contributes to our company’s success. CBRE provides reasonable accommodations in job application procedures for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at recruitingaccommodations@cbre.com or via telephone at +1 866 225 3099 (U.S.) and +1 866 388 4346 (Canada).
What You'll Do
- Lead the global engineering and technical operations strategy for CBRE's Industrial, Logistics & Defense sector, ensuring consistent execution of engineering standards, operational excellence, and technical governance across a complex portfolio.
- Establish and oversee global engineering standards, maintenance programs, asset management frameworks, and technical operating procedures that drive reliability, efficiency, safety, and compliance.
- Serve as the senior engineering subject matter expert for the sector, providing technical leadership and guidance on critical building systems, infrastructure, maintenance strategies, and operational risk management.
- Partner with account, sector, and enterprise leadership to develop and execute engineering strategies that enhance asset performance, support client objectives, and deliver commercial value.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment reliability, lifecycle management, sustainability, energy optimization, and operational efficiency.
- Lead engineering governance programs and ensure alignment with regulatory, environmental, health, safety, and client-specific requirements across global operations.
- Support capital planning, infrastructure investment decisions, and long-term asset management strategies to maximize operational performance and return on investment.
- Evaluate engineering and technical operations performance across the portfolio, identifying opportunities to improve service delivery, reduce risk, and optimize costs.
- Collaborate with account leaders and clients to develop technical solutions that support business growth, operational resilience, and complex engineering requirements.
- Provide leadership and direction to engineering and technical operations teams globally, building organizational capability, developing technical talent, and driving a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
- Leverage deep expertise across engineering, facilities management, maintenance, reliability, and asset management disciplines to solve complex operational challenges and support strategic decision-making.
- Lead the resolution of highly complex technical and operational issues through advanced critical thinking, engineering expertise, and business judgment
- Represent the Engineering & Technical Operations function with executive leadership and clients, influencing strategic initiatives and driving alignment between technical priorities and business objectives.
- Model behaviors consistent with CBRE's RISE values while fostering a culture centered on safety, innovation, operational excellence, and client service.
- Expected Travel: up to 70%
What You'll Need
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline required; advanced degree preferred.
- Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated ability to align engineering and technical operations strategies to business objectives, financial performance, and client outcomes.
- Extensive knowledge of facilities management disciplines, including engineering, maintenance, reliability, asset management, capital planning, energy management, and operational risk.
- Proven experience leading engineering and technical operations within complex, multi-site portfolios.
- Experience operating in industrial, logistics, manufacturing, distribution, defense, or similarly complex technical environments strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to optimize asset performance, reliability, and operational efficiency while maintaining compliance, safety, and service excellence.
- Experience developing and executing technical operations strategies across geographically dispersed teams and client portfolios.
CBRE carefully considers multiple factors to determine compensation, including a candidate’s education, training, and experience. The minimum salary for the Global Director position is $220,000 annually and the maximum salary for the Global Director position is $240,000 annually. The compensation offered to a successful candidate will depend on their skills, qualifications, and experience. Successful candidates will also be eligible for a discretionary bonus based on CBRE’s applicable benefit program. This role will provide the following benefits: 401(K), Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, and Vision insurance.
Equal Employment Opportunity: CBRE has a long-standing commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, veteran status, political belief, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
Candidate Accommodations: CBRE values the differences of all current and prospective employees and recognizes how every employee contributes to our company’s success. CBRE provides reasonable accommodations in job application procedures for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at recruitingaccommodations@cbre.com or via telephone at +1 866 225 3099 (U.S.) and +1 866 388 4346 (Canada).
See All 159+ Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Chief Operating Officer JobsChief Operating Officer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Chief Operating Officer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Food & Beverage
- Marketing & Advertising
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in chief operating officer jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, or a related field required
- Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience in operations or general management
- Demonstrated ability to oversee cross-functional teams across finance, HR, and supply chain
- Experience driving P&L accountability and measurable operational performance improvements
- Strong familiarity with Illinois regulatory environments in healthcare, finance, or manufacturing
- MBA or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred by most Illinois employers
Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a chief operating officer in Illinois?
Most chief operating officers in Illinois reach the role through a combination of an advanced degree, typically an MBA from a program such as those offered at Northwestern Kellogg, University of Chicago Booth, or University of Illinois, and a long track of progressive operational leadership. Illinois does not require a state-issued license to hold this title, but in regulated sectors like healthcare, COOs often work alongside licensed administrators. The clearest path is moving through director and VP-level operations roles within Illinois-headquartered companies before stepping into the C-suite.
How much do chief operating officers make in Illinois?
Chief operating officers in Illinois earn a median of about $331,920 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $133,170 for the lowest 10% to over $589,720 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire chief operating officers in Illinois?
Employers hiring chief operating officers in Illinois right now include University of Illinois, BayMark Health Services, and The University of Chicago, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Illinois's deep concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters in the Chicago metropolitan area means consistent COO-level demand across industries including insurance, healthcare systems, logistics, and financial services.
Which Illinois cities have the most chief operating officer jobs?
Chicago, Illinois, and Romeoville account for the most chief operating officer openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates because of its dense cluster of corporate headquarters, regional offices, and major hospital networks, while Naperville and Schaumburg attract COO roles through their established technology parks, insurance sector campuses, and manufacturing operations that require dedicated operations leadership.
Are there remote chief operating officer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're rare. Chief operating officers typically oversee on-site teams, facilities, and day-to-day organizational functions that require regular physical presence. About 56% of chief operating officer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, with hybrid arrangements more common than fully remote. Strategic planning, financial oversight, and investor reporting are the functions most often handled off-site when hybrid schedules apply.
How can I get hired as a chief operating officer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing an operations manager or director of operations role at a mid-size Illinois company, then building toward the COO seat over time. Large Illinois employers in healthcare and manufacturing, including major hospital systems and logistics firms based in the Chicago region, hire operations associates and management trainees who can grow into senior roles. An MBA from an Illinois program accelerates the timeline, and completing a rotational leadership program at a company like Caterpillar or Advocate Aurora Health provides the cross-functional exposure Illinois COO searches consistently require.
Where can I find and apply to chief operating officer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to chief operating officer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search the available roles by location or specialty to identify positions that match your background, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 159+ Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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