COO Jobs in Baltimore, MD
COO jobs in Baltimore are concentrated in the Inner Harbor, Harbor East, and the biotech corridor around the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, with strong demand in healthcare systems, financial services, and nonprofit management. Employers actively hiring include Morgan State University, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, and Ciena. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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The Director is responsible for operational excellence and service delivery across the employee lifecycle, with a strong emphasis on user experience and responsive support. The Director will drive process improvement initiatives across HR operations. The ideal candidate is an innovative, customer-focused leader who thrives in a complex, collaborative university environment. The ideal candidate will also translate union agreements into actionable, system-integrated business processes and bring a strong balance of systems thinking, operational expertise, and a commitment to service excellence. Duties include, but are not limited to:
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute strategic plans for HR operational functions in alignment with the university’s mission and HR’s strategic objectives.
- Provide strategic leadership and guidance to a cross-functional team to ensure operational efficiency and alignment with institutional goals.
- Develop and implement policies and procedures that promote consistency, compliance, and equity in HR service delivery, including service level agreements (SLAs).
- Manage and maintain a robust position management framework that ensures appropriate staffing levels, job classifications, and budgeting from a systems perspective.
- Collaborate with academic and administrative units to support position control and workforce planning.
HR Information Systems & Automation
- Lead initiatives to enhance HRIS capabilities, streamline processes, and leverage technology to improve efficiency, accuracy, and employee experience.
- Serve as project lead for implementing a new HRMS platform, including system selection, business process redesign, data migration, testing, training, and change management.
- Oversee ongoing maintenance, upgrades, and system improvements post-implementation.
- Ensure system data integrity, security, and compliance with legal and institutional policies.
- Ensure that all University data is continually valid, reliable, and reportable.
- Ensure that data warehousing is secure, compliant, and accessible for users.
- Build relationships with external vendors, consultants, and service providers to support HRIS implementation, upgrades, and ongoing support.
- Provide HR data analysis, dashboards, and metrics to support decision-making at executive and departmental levels.
HR Service Delivery
- Lead initiatives to enhance HRIS capabilities, streamline processes, and leverage technology to improve efficiency, accuracy, and employee experience.
- Collaborate with HR leadership and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement in HR service delivery.
- Establish and maintain a responsive, customer-focused service model across HR operations, ensuring timely, courteous, and solution-oriented responses to inquiries from faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Implement service level standards, feedback mechanisms, and training to enhance the employee experience and promote HR as a trusted campus partner.
- Serve as an escalation point for complex or high-impact HR service issues, ensuring appropriate resolution and follow-through.
- Partner with HR business partners, HR generalists, IT, finance, legal, and other departments to understand their requirements and priorities, and align HRIS and payroll initiatives accordingly.
Payroll & Compensation
- Support payroll processing and recommend improvements; troubleshoot escalated payroll matters. Work with Central Payroll Bureau and the Department of Budget and Management to address HR/Payroll-related questions.
- Oversee the processing and administration of contractual hires, including adjunct faculty, temporary employees, and grant-funded positions.
- Oversee the development, administration, and auditing of staff and faculty compensation and payroll programs.
- Partner with Finance and Budget departments on payroll funding, reporting, and compliance.
Bachelor’s degree in business, human resources, or a related field.
Experience Required:
At least eight (8) years of progressive human resources experience, with at least five (5) years in a supervisory capacity.
Previous experience supporting or managing system implementations, rollouts, training, and ongoing support is highly preferred. Experience supporting or designing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and service delivery expectations and requirements is also highly desired.
- Project Management experience is a plus.
- Familiarity with federal, state, and local employment and labor laws in both union and non-union environments is needed.
See All 85 COO Jobs in Baltimore
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Find COO JobsCOO Job Market in Baltimore
Who's Hiring
- Morgan State University14

- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield7

- Ciena4

- Labcorp4

- Sitreps4S
COO Jobs in Baltimore: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a coo job in Baltimore?
Focus on Baltimore's dominant hiring sectors: large health systems, regional banks and financial services firms, and the city's substantial nonprofit sector anchored by universities and foundations. Roles concentrate in Harbor East, downtown, and around the medical campuses in East Baltimore. Candidates who demonstrate P&L ownership, cross-functional leadership, and familiarity with regulated industries move fastest here. A local professional network built through Baltimore business associations and board service also carries real weight.
Which companies hire coos in Baltimore?
Employers hiring coos in Baltimore right now include Morgan State University, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, and Ciena, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Baltimore's market is anchored by major health systems, regional financial institutions, and a strong base of mid-size professional services and tech-enabled companies with headquarters or significant operations in the city.
Are there remote coo jobs in Baltimore?
Yes, though coo roles are less remote-friendly than individual contributor positions because the job typically requires direct oversight of operations, facilities, and teams. About 61% of coo openings tied to Baltimore are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, skewing toward companies in software, consulting, and financial services. Strategy and reporting functions transfer well to remote arrangements, while HR, facilities, and supply chain oversight generally require on-site presence.
How can I get a coo job in Baltimore with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Baltimore is moving into operations management at one of the city's large health systems or university-affiliated institutions, which regularly hire operations directors and administrators who can advance. Nonprofit organizations headquartered in Baltimore also promote from director-level roles into COO positions at a higher rate than corporate employers. Building experience managing budgets, vendor relationships, and cross-departmental initiatives at mid-size Baltimore employers creates the operational record that local search committees look for.
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