The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the executive leader accountable for the strategic and operational leadership of a multi-site industrial manufacturing and services business operating at national scale.
The role has end-to-end responsibility for operations across production, manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, and service delivery, led through direct oversight of site General Managers and functional leaders. The COO is responsible for driving operational excellence, safety, scalability, cost efficiency, and consistent performance across all sites, while ensuring strong customer outcomes, workforce engagement, and commercial results.
This role is pivotal in translating strategy into disciplined execution, stabilising and optimising operations, and embedding a high-performance, continuous-improvement culture across a complex, asset- and labour-intensive operational footprint.
Key Accountabilities Strategic & Operational Leadership
* Translate enterprise strategy into clear, executable operational plans across all sites
* Drive national consistency, operational cadence, and scalable delivery models
* Lead productivity, efficiency, and optimisation initiatives aligned to business priorities
Manufacturing & Operations Management
* Oversee end-to-end manufacturing and operations, including production, logistics, procurement, and supply chain
* Maximise capacity utilisation while minimising downtime, waste, and inefficiency
* Embed Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies across operations
Financial & Commercial Performance
* Full accountability for operational budgets, cost control, and capital expenditure delivery
* Identify and deliver margin improvement through operational optimisation and process efficiency
* Leverage data and KPIs to inform decision-making and drive sustained performance uplift
Leadership & Culture
* Build, lead, and develop high-performing site leadership teams
* Drive a strong culture of accountability, safety, and performance across operations
* Develop leadership capability, succession planning, and organisational depth
Transformation & Optimisation
* Sponsor and govern major capital, automation, and transformation programs
* Lead digitisation, standardisation, and operational uplift initiatives
* Improve operational scalability to support growth and long-term sustainability
Risk, Safety & Compliance
* Lead WHS, regulatory, environmental, and operational risk management
* Ensure best-practice safety systems and continuous improvement in safety performance
* Drive sustainability initiatives, including waste reduction and energy efficiency
Experience & Requirements Essential Experience
* Senior operational leadership experience within manufacturing, industrial services, or complex multi-site environments
* Proven success leading large, site-based workforces
* Strong track record in operational turnaround, optimisation, or transformation
* Deep exposure to asset-heavy, labour-intensive manufacturing operations
* Demonstrated application of Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement frameworks
Background Preference
* Operations-led leadership background strongly preferred
* Engineering qualifications are not essential and not preferred where an overly technical focus outweighs people leadership and operational execution
Qualifications
* Tertiary qualifications in Operations, Manufacturing, Business, or Supply Chain
* Lean / Six Sigma certification (preferred)