OPT Chief Operating Officer Jobs

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.

See All OPT Chief Operating Officer Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs26+
Top Visa TypeF-1 OPT
Work Type85% On-site
Median Salary$88K
Top LocationNew York, NY
Most JobsAccentCare

Showing 5 of 26+ Chief Operating Officer jobs

Stanford University
Finance and Operations Director
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Stanford University
Added 2d ago
Finance and Operations Director
Stanford University
Stanford, California
Business Operations
Project & Program Management
Human Resources
Finance
Accounting
Compliance & Legal
$160,294/yr - $199,273/yr
On-Site
5+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
10,000+

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The Iowa Clinic
Operations Director
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The Iowa Clinic
Added 5d ago
Operations Director
The Iowa Clinic
West Des Moines, Iowa
Human Resources
Project & Program Management
Business Operations
Healthcare Administration
On-Site
3+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
501-1,000

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Dialysis Clinic, Inc.
Dialysis Area Operations Director
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Dialysis Clinic, Inc.
Added 5d ago
Dialysis Area Operations Director
Dialysis Clinic, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee
Business Operations
Healthcare Administration
Executive Assistant & Personal Assistant
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
1,001-5,000

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Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.
Associate, Corporate Solutions — COO Office
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Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.
Added 5d ago
Associate, Corporate Solutions — COO Office
Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.
New York, New York
Business Operations
Project & Program Management
Partnerships & Business Development
Consulting & Professional Services
Finance
Accounting
Project Management
Business Development
Investment Banking & Capital Markets
$175,000 - $200,000/yr
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Associate's

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Travelers
Associate Operations Director
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Travelers
Added 1w ago
Associate Operations Director
Travelers
Hartford, Connecticut
Project & Program Management
Human Resources
Strategy & Corporate Development
Business Operations
Business Strategy
$104,000/yr - $171,700/yr
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
10,000+

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See all Chief Operating Officer Jobs

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Tips for Finding OPT 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.

Get your employer started on H-1B sponsorship early

The H-1B lottery registration opens in March for October starts. If your OPT expires mid-year, timing matters enormously. Raise sponsorship in the offer negotiation stage, not after you have started working, to avoid authorization gaps.

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.

Chief Operating Officer OPT: Frequently 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.