Chief Operating Officer Jobs for OPT Students
Chief Operating Officer roles on OPT are rare but not impossible. Most COO positions require extensive leadership experience, so F-1 students pursuing this path typically hold STEM OPT extensions and target high-growth startups where operational leadership opens earlier. Your 12 to 36 months of work authorization needs to convert to long-term sponsorship fast.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
CHOP - Soar Autism Center is building a network of interdisciplinary clinics where children with autism and their families receive life-shaping services that support them to thrive. We prioritize early intervention, comprehensive supportive services, and positive, developmentally-appropriate learning that meets the needs of each unique child and family. Specifically, we focus on integrated autism care and a play-based model of applied behavior analysis (ABA) based on the principles of the Early Start Denver Model.
The Center Operations Director (COD) role is a high-impact leadership position for someone early-to-mid career who is smart, ambitious, and ready to own real responsibility. This is not a back-office role. You’ll run a center, lead a team, partner closely with clinicians, and directly influence growth, quality, and family experience.
CHOP - Soar Autism Center is growing rapidly, and many of our CODs grow into multi-site leadership, regional operations, or senior operational roles as CHOP - Soar Autism Center continues to expand. If you’re looking for a role where you can learn quickly, be trusted early, and build a meaningful leadership career, this is it.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
Running a High-Performing Center
You are the operational leader of the center and responsible for:
- Acting as the local owner of performance against forecasted goals, including budget, utilization, and efficiency
- Driving strong execution of CHOP - Soar Autism Center's operating systems (scheduling, staffing, billing efficiency, cleanliness, parent communication, etc.)
- Partner with market and regional leadership to identify opportunities, solve problems, and continuously improve how the center runs
- Lead with calm, clarity, and professionalism in a fast-paced environment
Creating an Exceptional Family Experience
Families trust us with their children, and you make that trust real every day by:
- Owning all parts of the non-clinical experience for caregivers
- Building strong, supportive relationships with caregivers and ensure clear, timely communication
- Driving strong attendance, engagement, and client satisfaction (NPS)
- Delivering a smooth onboarding for new families
- Managing the front desk and providing a warm welcome to clients, prospective clients and teammates
- Preparing families for diagnostics, assessments, and transitions with confidence and clarity
Leading and Developing People
This is a true people leadership role where you develop a high-performing team by:
- Serving as the primary people leader for local staff, including clinicians and support team members
- Coaching, developing, and motivating team members
- Partnering closely with the lead clinician to support clinical excellence, team morale, and retention
- Acting as a trusted point of escalation and support for staff, knowing when to solve and when to escalate
WHO THIS ROLE IS GREAT FOR
- You’re early-to-mid career but already trusted with real responsibility
- You enjoy running things, solving problems, and working with people
- You’re detail-oriented and big-picture oriented
- You want a role where performance matters and growth is earned
- You’re motivated by mission—but also by learning, ownership, and career trajectory
QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Require previous people management experience, leading high-performing teams of 8-10 or more people.
- Require 2-3+ years of managing strong operations
WHAT WE OFFER
- Starting base salary of $85,000.00 - $100,000.00/year with annual bonus potential of up to $32,000 based on center and individual performance.
- Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision plans
- Student loan repayment and tuition reimbursement benefits
- Priority access for in-network mental health support through our partnership with Sol Mental Health
- Tons of support from our multidisciplinary team
- Direct exposure to senior leaders and multi-site operators
- A collaborative, high-accountability environment where strong performers grow quickly
- The chance to build something meaningful—while building your career
CHOP - Soar Autism Center is committed to diversity and inclusion at all levels. As an equal opportunity employer, we strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or other protected characteristics.
INTRODUCTION
CHOP - Soar Autism Center is building a network of interdisciplinary clinics where children with autism and their families receive life-shaping services that support them to thrive. We prioritize early intervention, comprehensive supportive services, and positive, developmentally-appropriate learning that meets the needs of each unique child and family. Specifically, we focus on integrated autism care and a play-based model of applied behavior analysis (ABA) based on the principles of the Early Start Denver Model.
The Center Operations Director (COD) role is a high-impact leadership position for someone early-to-mid career who is smart, ambitious, and ready to own real responsibility. This is not a back-office role. You’ll run a center, lead a team, partner closely with clinicians, and directly influence growth, quality, and family experience.
CHOP - Soar Autism Center is growing rapidly, and many of our CODs grow into multi-site leadership, regional operations, or senior operational roles as CHOP - Soar Autism Center continues to expand. If you’re looking for a role where you can learn quickly, be trusted early, and build a meaningful leadership career, this is it.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
Running a High-Performing Center
You are the operational leader of the center and responsible for:
- Acting as the local owner of performance against forecasted goals, including budget, utilization, and efficiency
- Driving strong execution of CHOP - Soar Autism Center's operating systems (scheduling, staffing, billing efficiency, cleanliness, parent communication, etc.)
- Partner with market and regional leadership to identify opportunities, solve problems, and continuously improve how the center runs
- Lead with calm, clarity, and professionalism in a fast-paced environment
Creating an Exceptional Family Experience
Families trust us with their children, and you make that trust real every day by:
- Owning all parts of the non-clinical experience for caregivers
- Building strong, supportive relationships with caregivers and ensure clear, timely communication
- Driving strong attendance, engagement, and client satisfaction (NPS)
- Delivering a smooth onboarding for new families
- Managing the front desk and providing a warm welcome to clients, prospective clients and teammates
- Preparing families for diagnostics, assessments, and transitions with confidence and clarity
Leading and Developing People
This is a true people leadership role where you develop a high-performing team by:
- Serving as the primary people leader for local staff, including clinicians and support team members
- Coaching, developing, and motivating team members
- Partnering closely with the lead clinician to support clinical excellence, team morale, and retention
- Acting as a trusted point of escalation and support for staff, knowing when to solve and when to escalate
WHO THIS ROLE IS GREAT FOR
- You’re early-to-mid career but already trusted with real responsibility
- You enjoy running things, solving problems, and working with people
- You’re detail-oriented and big-picture oriented
- You want a role where performance matters and growth is earned
- You’re motivated by mission—but also by learning, ownership, and career trajectory
QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Require previous people management experience, leading high-performing teams of 8-10 or more people.
- Require 2-3+ years of managing strong operations
WHAT WE OFFER
- Starting base salary of $85,000.00 - $100,000.00/year with annual bonus potential of up to $32,000 based on center and individual performance.
- Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision plans
- Student loan repayment and tuition reimbursement benefits
- Priority access for in-network mental health support through our partnership with Sol Mental Health
- Tons of support from our multidisciplinary team
- Direct exposure to senior leaders and multi-site operators
- A collaborative, high-accountability environment where strong performers grow quickly
- The chance to build something meaningful—while building your career
CHOP - Soar Autism Center is committed to diversity and inclusion at all levels. As an equal opportunity employer, we strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or other protected characteristics.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Chief Operating Officer
Target startups over established corporations
Early-stage companies promote operational leaders faster and sponsor visas more flexibly than large enterprises. A Series A or B startup actively scaling needs operational talent and is more willing to invest in sponsorship for the right person.
Build your case around measurable operational impact
COO hiring decisions hinge on outcomes, not credentials. Document specific metrics: revenue growth you drove, costs reduced, headcount scaled. Concrete numbers replace the experience gap that OPT students often face at this seniority level.
Position yourself as a specialist, not a generalist
COO roles at the OPT stage are usually functional, not company-wide. Titles like Head of Operations or VP of Operations lead there. Specializing in supply chain, product ops, or growth ops makes you a stronger visa sponsorship candidate.
Engage immigration-friendly industries strategically
Technology, healthcare operations, and logistics companies file the most H-1B petitions for operational leadership roles. Prioritizing these sectors improves your odds of finding an employer already comfortable with visa sponsorship processes.
Use your OPT period to demonstrate leadership, not just execution
Sponsors back people who show they can run things independently. Take on cross-functional projects, manage budgets, and lead teams during OPT. That track record is what converts a current employer into a long-term visa sponsor.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as a Chief Operating Officer in the United States?
Yes. F-1 OPT authorizes full-time employment in any role directly related to your field of study, including executive positions like Chief Operating Officer. The key requirement is that your COO duties connect to your degree field. Business, management, engineering, and computer science graduates can reasonably make this connection, particularly in operationally complex industries.
Which visa is most commonly used to sponsor Chief Operating Officer roles after OPT?
The H-1B is the most common long-term path for COO roles, provided the position qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. Some COO candidates also pursue the O-1A visa, which requires demonstrating extraordinary ability through awards, media coverage, high compensation relative to peers, or significant contributions to their industry.
How can I find Chief Operating Officer jobs that offer OPT sponsorship?
Migrate Mate is the recommended starting point. It surfaces employer-sponsored roles specifically for F-1 OPT and international students, filtering out listings where sponsorship is unlikely. COO-level roles on OPT are uncommon, so searching for operational leadership titles like Head of Operations, Director of Operations, or VP of Operations and building toward the COO level is often more practical.
Does a COO role qualify for a STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree. If you graduated from a STEM-designated program and your COO responsibilities apply STEM knowledge directly, such as overseeing engineering operations, technical product delivery, or data-driven growth functions, you may qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. The employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify. Your DSO and the employer's HR team should confirm eligibility before filing.
What makes it harder to get OPT sponsorship for senior executive roles like COO?
Employers sponsoring executive roles face the same visa costs and timelines as any hire, but the stakes are higher. COO positions require demonstrated leadership experience that most recent graduates cannot show. Additionally, the H-1B lottery introduces uncertainty that can disqualify a candidate from the role. Companies willing to sponsor tend to be startups where the candidate has already proven themselves internally during the OPT period.
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