Chief Operating OfficerHeavy Equipment

Kimmel & Associates; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 220,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive executive compensation with incentives

Comprehensive health benefits

Retirement plan with company contribution

Vehicle allowance or company vehicle

Executive autonomy

Strategic role

Job summary

A leading heavy equipment dealership in Houston is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to drive operational excellence and execute strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess 10–15+ years of leadership experience in the heavy equipment sector, with a proven track record in managing dealership operations and enhancing profitability. Key responsibilities include overseeing daily operations, improving processes, and implementing sustainable growth strategies. This role offers competitive executive compensation and the opportunity to shape the future of the organization.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in heavy equipment or industrial distribution.
• Deep understanding of dealership operations and regulatory compliance.
• Proven success in leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Leadership: proven cross-functional, geographically dispersed team leadership.
• Executive skills: exceptional communication, negotiation, relationships.
• Analytical acumen: strong financial and operational analytics.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence and oversee dealership operations.
• Develop operational strategies aligned with growth objectives.
• Implement policies and tools for process improvement.
• Team Leadership: Recruit, develop, and motivate teams across sales, rental, service, and branches.
• Operations Management: Lead sales, rentals, logistics, maintenance, and fleet operations.
• Data-Driven: Establish dashboards and analyze metrics to guide decisions.
• Asset & Inventory: Manage lifecycle of heavy equipment, fleet rotation, RPO.
• Financial Stewardship: Manage budgets, capex plans, and revenue forecasts; oversee P&L.
• Strategic Growth: Support expansion into new markets and OEM relationships.
• Customer & Vendor Relations: Build executive relationships with customers, OEMs, suppliers.
• Performance Tracking: Monitor MTTR, RFT, utilization, technician efficiency.

Skills

Leadership capabilities

Analytical acumen

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Strategic thinking

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or Engineering

MBA (preferred)

Tools

ERP systems

WMS tools

Job description

About the Company

Our client is a well-established and rapidly growing heavy equipment dealership serving the construction, infrastructure, and industrial markets. With a strong reputation for customer service, technical expertise, and long-standing OEM partnerships, the organization operates across multiple locations and offers a full suite of equipment sales, rentals, parts, and service solutions. The company is entering a new phase of strategic growth and is seeking a seasoned operational leader to help scale the business while preserving operational excellence.

About the Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of the executive leadership team and is responsible for translating the CEO's strategic vision into day-to-day operational execution. This role oversees the dealership's core functions—sales, rental, service, parts, logistics, and fleet management with a focus on profitability, efficiency, and sustainable growth.

The COO will drive operational excellence across all branches, implement scalable processes and systems, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional performance. This executive will also partner closely with the CEO on strategic initiatives such as geographic expansion, OEM negotiations, and post-acquisition integration.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with the company's growth objectives and the CEO's vision.
• Operational Excellence: Oversee daily dealership operations, including Parts and Service Departments, to maximize productivity, utilization, and customer satisfaction.
• Process Improvement: Implement policies, procedures, and automation tools (e.g., ERP, WMS) to streamline workflows and improve efficiency.
• Team Leadership: Recruit, develop, and motivate high-performing teams across sales, rental, service, and branch management.
• Operations Management: Lead equipment sales, rentals, logistics, maintenance, and fleet operations across multiple locations.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Establish performance dashboards and analyze metrics to guide operational and strategic decisions.
• Asset & Inventory Management: Manage the full lifecycle of heavy equipment, including new and used equipment acquisitions, fleet rotation, and rental purchase options (RPO).
• Financial Stewardship: Develop and manage operating budgets, capital expenditure plans, and revenue forecasts; oversee P&L performance and gross margin targets.
• Strategic Growth Initiatives: Support expansion into new markets, OEM relationship management, and integration of acquired businesses.
• Customer & Vendor Relations: Build and maintain executive-level relationships with key customers, OEMs, and strategic suppliers.
• Performance Tracking: Implement and monitor KPIs such as Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), Right First Time (RFT), equipment utilization, and technician efficiency.

Requirements

• Experience: 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience within heavy equipment, construction machinery, or industrial distribution environments.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field required; MBA strongly preferred.
• Industry Expertise: Deep understanding of dealership operations, including rental fleets, depreciation strategies, RPO programs, and regulatory/safety compliance.
• Leadership Capability: Proven success leading multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams and building a high-performance culture.
• Executive Skills: Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building abilities, with a hands‑on yet strategic leadership style.
• Analytical Acumen: Strong financial and operational analytics skills with a track record of data-driven improvement initiatives.

Benefits

• Competitive executive compensation package with performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• Retirement plan with company contribution
• Vehicle allowance or company vehicle (as applicable)
• Executive-level autonomy and influence within a growing organization
• Opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of a market-leading dealership