Chief Operating Officer

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