Associate Director, Portfolio Operations

The Barton Partnership | B Corp™; Sydney; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

The Barton Partnership | B Corp™ is seeking an experienced, hands-on operating leader to drive value creation across sponsor-backed portfolio companies within ANZ. The role partners with deal teams, boards and management to underwrite, design and deliver post-investment transformation programs — from diligence through execution to exit.

You will lead transformation programs, build governance, KPIs and dashboards, coach management teams, and step into interim COO/Chief Transformation Officer

Qualifications

• 10–15 years of combined experience across top-tier management consulting and in-house operating roles.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable P&L and cash-flow impact on the ground.
• Strong analytical, financial and commercial judgment; highly numerate.
• Hands-on, execution-oriented and pragmatic.
• Excellent stakeholder management with credibility to engage C-suite and boards.
• Experience designing performance management frameworks, dashboards and governance processes.
• Willing to travel to portfolio company sites.
• Experience in private equity or sponsor-backed environments advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational and commercial due diligence to identify high-impact value levers.
• Design and deploy transformation programs with OGSM, roadmaps, KPIs and dashboards.
• Embed governance and toolkits across portfolio companies.
• Drive margin, cash-flow and cost‑reduction initiatives.
• Mobilise cross-functional teams and external specialists to deliver priorities.
• Partner with CEOs and boards; provide progress reporting and executive support.
• Coach management teams to sustain improvements; step into interim COO/CTO roles as needed.

Skills

P&L ownership

Transformation leadership

Stakeholder management

Financial modelling

Execution excellence

Analytical thinking

Leadership coaching

Education

MBA or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Our client is a Private Equity fund seeking an experienced, hands‑on operating leader to drive value creation across sponsor-backed portfolio companies within ANZ. This high-impact role partners with deal teams, boards and management to underwrite, design and deliver post‑investment transformation programs — from diligence through execution to exit — often stepping into senior operating roles to secure results.

Key responsibilities

• Lead operational and commercial due diligence to identify high‑impact value levers and translate findings into a credible post‑investment value creation agenda.
• Own design and deployment of transformation programs (strategy to execution), including OGSM/goal-setting, roadmaps, KPIs, dashboards and operating rhythms.
• Embed practical, sustainable operating toolkits and governance across portfolio companies; tailor approaches to business context.
• Drive performance improvement themes: margin enhancement, cost reduction, cashflow optimisation, commercial excellence, pricing, strategic sourcing, process improvement, digital transformation and post‑merger integration.
• Mobilise and coordinate cross‑functional teams and external specialists to deliver workstream priorities and accelerate time to value.
• Act as a trusted partner to CEOs and boards: provide structured governance, progress reporting, and, where needed, support C‑suite hiring, transitions and executive development.
• Coach and build capability in management teams to sustain improvements; step into interim COO/Chief Transformation Officer roles when required.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of regional operating playbooks and share best practices across the team.

Experience & skills

• 10–15 years of combined experience across top‑tier management consulting and substantive in‑house operating roles (P&L ownership, GM, transformation leadership), with demonstrable execution track record.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable P&L and cash‑flow impact on the ground.
• Strong analytical, financial and commercial judgment; highly numerate and comfortable with financial modelling and KPIs.
• Hands‑on, execution‑oriented, pragmatic approach; willing to roll up sleeves.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills with credibility to operate as a peer to C‑suite and boards.
• Experience designing performance management frameworks, dashboards and governance processes.
• Willing to travel and deploy to portfolio company sites.
• Industry: services, healthcare, tech, FS experience advantageous.
• Experience in private equity or sponsor‑backed environments and conducting operational due diligence preferred

Why this role

You will lead tangible, high‑visibility interventions that shape company performance and returns, working in small, empowered teams across diverse portfolio businesses. The role suits entrepreneurial, results‑driven operators who combine strategic thinking with proven execution capability.