Chief Operating Officer

Sci-Rec; Berlin; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Sci-Rec, a European laboratory testing organisation, seeks a Chief Operating Officer to lead its multi-site network and accelerate international growth. The role focuses on operational excellence, profitability and scalability across environmental, food, agricultural and related sectors.

The COO will drive strategic and operational leadership, oversee capacity planning, and champion automation, digitalisation and continuous improvement while ensuring regulatory compliance and exceptional client

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience at COO/MD level or equivalent.
• Proven P&L responsibility with revenue growth and profitability improvements.
• Experience managing multi-site and international operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a multi-site European laboratory network.
• Drive financial performance with focus on revenue, EBITDA and cost optimisation.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve efficiency, productivity and scalability.
• Oversee laboratory performance, capacity planning and service delivery.
• Champion automation, digitalisation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure high standards of quality, regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction.
• Lead senior operational leaders and country management teams.
• Support international expansion and potential M&A integration activities.
• Collaborate with executive teams to identify growth opportunities and strengthen market position.

Skills

Senior leadership

P&L responsibility

Multi-site management

Commercial strategy

M&A experience

Operational excellence

Change management

International environment

Tools

LIMS

ISO 17025

Job description

Location: Germany / Europe (with international travel)

Industry: Testing, Inspection & Certification (TIC) / Laboratory Testing

The Opportunity

We are partnering with an established European laboratory testing organisation to appoint a Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Operating an extensive network of laboratories across Europe, the business provides specialist analytical and testing services across the environmental, food, agricultural and related sectors.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving operational excellence, improving profitability and supporting the Group's continued international growth.

This is a senior executive appointment offering significant influence over the strategic and operational direction of an established European organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a multi-site European laboratory network.
• Drive financial performance, focusing on revenue growth, EBITDA improvement, profitability and cost optimisation.
• Develop and implement operational strategies to improve efficiency, productivity and scalability.
• Oversee laboratory performance, capacity planning, resource allocation and service delivery.
• Champion operational transformation, automation, digitalisation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure consistently high standards of quality, regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction.
• Lead and develop senior operational leaders, country management teams and laboratory directors.
• Support international expansion, strategic investments and potential M&A integration activities.
• Collaborate with executive and commercial leadership to identify growth opportunities and strengthen the Group's market position.

Candidate Requirements

• Extensive senior leadership experience, ideally as a COO, Managing Director, Divisional Director or equivalent.
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-site and international operations.
• Strong background within laboratory testing, TIC or related scientific services industries.
• Significant P&L responsibility, with demonstrable success in driving revenue growth, profitability and operational improvements.
• Experience delivering business transformation, process optimisation and organisational development.
• Strong understanding of laboratory operations, ideally within environmental, food, agricultural or analytical testing.
• Experience managing and developing senior leadership teams across multiple countries.
• Commercially astute, strategically minded and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, international environment.
• Experience with M&A, laboratory automation, LIMS and ISO 17025 would be advantageous.

The Ideal Profile

We are seeking a commercially focused and results-driven executive who combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational expertise.

The successful candidate will have a proven ability to improve financial performance, lead organisational change and develop scalable operations across complex international businesses.

An entrepreneurial mindset, strong leadership capabilities and a track record of delivering sustainable growth will be essential.