Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Manufacturing | Northern Ireland
A well-established and growing engineering and manufacturing business is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead and transform its end-to-end operations.
Type: Full-time, Permanent or Interim to Perm
Reporting to: Managing Director / Owner
The Opportunity
This is a pivotal, hands-on leadership role within an SME environment—ideal for a commercially minded operations leader who thrives on driving performance, building teams, and delivering measurable results.
You’ll take ownership of the full operational lifecycle—from design through to delivery—ensuring excellence across manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and systems, while embedding a high-performance culture.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and execute operational strategy aligned with business goals
Drive improvements across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Cash
Optimise manufacturing performance, flow, and throughput
Strengthen design-to-manufacture processes and cross-functional collaboration
Enhance quality systems, compliance, and “right-first-time” culture
Develop supplier performance and supply chain resilience
Build, coach, and lead a high-performing leadership team
Implement practical, SME-fit systems (ERP/MRP, KPIs, planning tools)
Act as a senior interface for key customers and stakeholders
What Success Looks Like
Improved OTIF and reduced lead times
Higher productivity and operational efficiency
Reduced scrap, rework, and cost of poor quality
Stronger working capital and inventory control
Engaged, accountable, and capable leadership team
About You
You’re a modern, pragmatic operations leader who can bring structure and discipline without overcomplicating.
You’ll likely bring:
Senior leadership experience in manufacturing (Ops Director / Head of Ops / Plant Manager / GM)
Proven track record of delivering measurable operational improvements
Strong understanding of fabrication, assembly, and engineered production environments
Experience leading cross-functional teams across production, engineering, quality, and supply chain
A hands-on, visible leadership style with strong commercial judgement
Experience in high-integrity or regulated sectors (e.g. aerospace, defence, oil & gas) and Lean/CI methodologies would be advantageous.
Why Apply?
This is a rare opportunity to step into a true COO-level role within a dynamic SME, where you can make a tangible impact, shape the operational future, and build a scalable, high-performing business.