Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Perm
Location: Flexible within Europe (preferably Belgium or Poland)
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer / Board of Directors
Type: Full-time, Executive Leadership
Ownership: Private Equity-backed
Role Overview
The Chief Operating Officer will lead our clients global manufacturing and operational strategy, ensuring excellence across its core facilities in the U.S, Europe and Far East. This role is critical in driving operational efficiency, scalability, and alignment with private equity value creation plans.
Key Responsibilities
Global Operations Leadership
* Oversee end-to-end global manufacturing operations.
* Ensure consistent quality, safety, and compliance standards across all sites.
* Drive operational KPIs including throughput, cost efficiency, and delivery performance.
Operational Excellence & Lean Transformation
* Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
* Implement best-in-class manufacturing practices and digital tools to enhance productivity.
* Optimize supply chain and logistics across regions to reduce lead times and costs.
Strategic Planning & Execution
* Translate strategic goals into operational plans aligned with PE growth targets.
* Support capacity planning, CapEx investments, and technology upgrades.
* Collaborate with commercial and finance teams to align operations with market demand.
Leadership & Team Development
* Build and mentor high-performing plant and operations leadership teams.
* Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and innovation.
* Lead cross-functional collaboration across engineering, quality, procurement, and logistics.
Private Equity Engagement
* Partner with PE sponsors to deliver operational insights and performance reporting.
* Support due diligence and integration efforts for potential M\&A activity.
* Contribute to exit strategy planning through operational scalability and margin improvement.
Ideal Candidate Profile
* Proven experience as COO or senior operations leader in manufacturing, ideally in industrial, infrastructure, or engineered products.
* Track record of leading multi-site international operations, including in Europe and Asia.
* Strong understanding of private equity environments, value creation levers, and transformation programs.
* Expertise in Lean manufacturing, supply chain optimization, and operational digitization.
* Fluent in English; Polish, French, or Mandarin is a plus.
* Hands-on, data-driven, and results-oriented leadership style.