Chief Operating Officer (COO)
South Cheshire £150k–£180k + package
A well established, highly profitable manufacturing SME is seeking a hands‑on Chief Operating Officer to lead operational performance and support the company’s next phase of growth. Current revenue levels sit around £80m with achievable ambitions to surpass £200m in the next 6 years, with EBITDA set to return to double digits this year following a challenging 12 months of ERP transformation and tariff turmoil.
International activity accounts for nearly half of revenue, and the organisation is now looking for a COO who can build the operational discipline and delivery capability required to support that broad trajectory.
The Role
The COO will take ownership of end‑to‑end operational delivery, spanning procurement, manufacturing, project delivery, logistics and customer fulfilment.
The core focus of the role will be to ensure that operations consistently deliver on the commercial promise, by improving service levels, operational efficiency and profitability.
The operation is primarily focused on simple manufacturing and assembly rather than complex engineering, so success in the role will be driven more by pragmatic operational judgement, a clear understanding of what best‑in‑class looks like, and the ability to apply a strong commercial lens to operational decision‑making.
Key Priorities
* Deliver outstanding customer service, maximising OTIF performance and NPS
* Leverage the quality of data now available through the new ERP system
* Ensure end‑to‑end operational execution supports the commercial plan
* Improve gross margins through better procurement, operational efficiency and reduced waste
* Reduce lead times across procurement, manufacturing and delivery
* Strengthen operational governance, planning and accountability across teams
* Build scalable systems and processes to support continued growth
The Person
This role will suit an experienced COO / Operations Director / General Manager - a humble, hungry leader who has successfully navigated a steep growth curve through improved operational performance in a manufacturing, engineering, or project manufacturing environment.
You will be a hands‑on, execution‑focused leader who is comfortable building structure, driving accountability and improving delivery performance — while maintaining a commercial acumen and a positive and high‑performing culture.
This is an opportunity to play a critical leadership role in a growing business, shaping how operations scale while improving customer experience and profitability.
#J-18808-Ljbffr