Chief Operating Officer — Scale & Optimize UK Operations

Webrecruit; St. Neots; On-site; GBP 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £150,000 (depends on exp)

Bonus scheme

Car allowance

25 days' annual leave plus bank HOlidA

Collaborative team environment

Company laptop and IT equipment

Company uniform/workwear

Job summary

Blazequel in St. Neots is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to lead UK Mainland operations and align with our Northern Ireland activities.

You will build a repeatable operating system that enables predictable delivery, clear ownership and effective cash conversion. You will shape and embed practical, standardised ways of working, drawing on EOS, LEAN and Theory of Constraints, establishing ownership and accountability across critical processes to scale the business.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a multi-disciplinary operation with 20+ employees and managers reporting to you.
• Evidence of building or redesigning operating processes, not just managing inherited systems.
• Track record of improving delivery reliability, quality, utilisation, WIP-to-cash and customer performance.
• Strong people leadership skills including coaching, delegation and performance management.
• Commercial understanding of WIP, variations, margin drivers, invoicing and cash conversion.
• Ability to make decisions with imperfect information and escalate only when director input is required.

Responsibilities

• Run effective weekly operational reviews that drive decisions and actions.
• Identify and remove constraints affecting project and service delivery.
• Improve forecasting and implement recovery actions.
• Recruit and restructure where needed.
• Build succession strength and reduce reliance on individual team members.
• Ensure customer escalations have a clear journey.

Skills

Multi-disciplinary leadership

People leadership

Commercial acumen

Forecasting

WIP-to-cash

Invoicing & cash conversion

Decision making under uncertainty

Effective communication

Change management

Travel readiness

Job description

Blazequel in St. Neots is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to lead UK Mainland operations and align with our Northern Ireland activities.

You will build a repeatable operating system that enables predictable delivery, clear ownership and effective cash conversion. You will shape and embed practical, standardised ways of working, drawing on EOS, LEAN and Theory of Constraints, establishing ownership and accountability across critical processes to scale the business.