Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Sustainable Drinks Brand

Job Description

Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Sustainable Drinks Brand | Zone 1 / Hybrid

Harmonic Operations are delighted to be working exclusively with a purpose-driven and scaling drinks brand to find a commercially astute, operationally excellent Chief Operating Officer (COO).

This is a key strategic hire and newly created role to support the CEO and leadership team in building a financially disciplined, scalable, and high-performing business. Having established a solid foundation in both B2B and DTC markets, our client is now focused on simplifying its commercial model, improving operational processes, and unlocking the next phase of sustainable, profitable growth.

The successful candidate will bring a strong background in commercial finance, operational leadership, and cross-functional team development. With oversight of Finance, Operations, HR and Legal-and close collaboration with Sales and Marketing-the COO will be responsible for evolving internal systems, improving cash flow and forecasting, and embedding accountability across all business units.

This is a brilliant opportunity for a hands-on and values-led leader to help drive real impact in a fast-growing brand with a clear sense of purpose, collaborative culture and loyal customer base.

Role Overview:

The COO will act as the right-hand to the CEO, sitting on the senior leadership team and working with key internal stakeholders and external partners (including institutional investors). The role will be pivotal in simplifying operations across a high-SKU, multi-channel business and embedding operational and financial rigour across all departments.

Overseeing a team across Finance, Supply Chain, Customer Service and HR, you'll play a key role in supporting business model evolution and driving the success of change initiatives.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Board Engagement

1. Act as a key member of the leadership team and represent the business at Board level.
2. Partner with the CEO to evolve and execute the commercial strategy across core support functions.
3. Ensure clear, data-driven reporting and KPI alignment with wider business goals.

Financial Strategy & Cash Management

1. Own end-to-end cash flow management, including forecasting, burn rate tracking and working capital optimisation.
2. Drive financial planning and performance forecasting with a focus on accuracy and agility.
3. Develop and embed actionable KPIs to guide strategic and day-to-day decision-making.

Operational Efficiency & Business Modelling

1. Simplify and scale operations across B2B and DTC channels (Trade + Ecom).
2. Troubleshoot commercial and delivery trade-offs (e.g. availability vs. stockholding).
3. Lead and prioritise high-impact change initiatives to improve profitability and performance.
4. Collaborate with department leads to ensure resource alignment and cost control.

Systems, Risk & Compliance

1. Optimise use of existing systems (Xero and Shopify) and support integrations that improve reporting and efficiency.
2. Ensure compliance with legal frameworks and maintain a strong internal control environment.
3. Build scalable data infrastructure and reporting tools.

Leadership & People Development

1. Coach and mentor functional leads across Finance, Supply Chain, Customer Service and HR.
2. Champion a culture of ownership, empowerment and cross-functional collaboration.
3. Support personal development and performance reviews, maintaining a flat and agile structure.

What We Need to See (Essential):

1. Experience operating at COO, Finance Director or Commercial Director level with cross-functional leadership responsibilities.
2. Demonstrable success in scaling a business from ~£5m to ~£15m turnover.
3. Strong commercial finance expertise and proven track record in cash flow management, KPI reporting and business modelling.
4. Experience working within an entrepreneurial start-up or scale-up environment.
5. Operational experience across supply chain, logistics, or product fulfilment-especially with Asia-Pacific shipping routes.
6. Hands-on leadership style, strong problem-solving ability and comfort balancing strategic oversight with detail-oriented execution.

What We'd Love to See (Desirable):

1. Exposure to premium consumer brands in FMCG, food & drink, or eCommerce.
2. Experience working with institutional investors or PE-backed businesses.
3. Prior involvement in finance system implementations or optimisation projects.
4. Understanding of S&OP processes, customer service operations, and inventory planning.

Salary: £110,000 - £125,000 + bonus / benefits

Start Date: ASAP ideally (can wait up to 3 months)

Location: Zone 1 / Hybrid - 3 days in office

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to gender expression, or any other characteristic.