Chief Operating Officer

Evolution Consulting Partners; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic manufacturing company in the UK is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to enhance operational excellence across various functions like Production, HR, and Safety. This leadership role requires a proactive individual with proven experience in senior management within a manufacturing or industrial environment. Responsibilities include managing production targets, leading capital projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. The ideal candidate will bring strong operational acumen and a passion for continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience in a manufacturing, engineering, or industrial setting.
• Strong operational and production acumen with a track record of hitting performance targets.
• Experience managing capex projects and multi-year capital planning.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the Production Manager.
• Own and manage monthly production targets.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Oversee and maintain the company’s three-year capital investment plan.
• Lead and drive all Health & Safety strategy and compliance.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Operational and production acumen

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Solutions-focused approach

Experience with grants/funding

Job description

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

About the Role

We are seeking a highly capable and hands‑on Chief Operating Officer (COO) to drive operational excellence across Production, Operations, HR, H&S, Grants, R&D, and Sales support. This is a critical leadership role within our senior team, ideal for a proactive, commercially minded operator who thrives on delivering continuous improvement and supporting the growth of a manufacturing/industrial business.

The COO will act as the central point of coordination across key business functions—ensuring alignment, accountability, and operational performance throughout the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the Production Manager for all day‑to‑day issues.
• Own and manage monthly production targets to ensure performance aligns with budget expectations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, building on our foursten-year Sharing in Growth programme.

Operations Management

• Be the main point of contact for the Operations Manager for daily operational matters.
• Lead capex projects, including scoping, critical pathRepeating management, and cost control.
• Oversee and maintain the company’s three‑year capital investment plan.

Human Resources

• Take overall responsibility for HR across the business.
• Provide leadership and oversight to reduce “residual noise,” ensuring HR processes run smoothly (with operational support already in place).

Health & Safety

• Lead and drive all Health & Safety strategy and compliance across the organisation.
• Ensure adherence to relevantLEY legislation and best practice.
• Work closely with the newly appointed H&S Officer (junior/practical role) to strengthen company-wide safety culture.

Grants & Funding

• Continuously identify potential grant opportunities.
• Build and maintain relationships withძღ grant providers, agencies, and funding bodies.
• Oversee successful grant delivery and compliance.
• Manage grant‑related costs in conjunction with the CFO.

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We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Proven senior leadership experience in a manufacturing, engineering, or industrial setting.
• Strong operational and production acumen with a track record of hitting performance targets.
• Experience managing capex projects and multi‑year capital planning.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• A hands‑on, solutions‑focused approach to leadership.
• Experience with grants/funding and R&D programmes (highly advantageous).
• A passion for continuous improvement and organisational development.