Company Overview
Black Mount Springwater is a founder‐built, Australian‐owned national business with more than three decades of trusted performance. Operating across multiple states, the company supplies bulk natural spring and mineral water to some of Australia's leading bottled water brands, supported by long‐standing customer relationships and a strong reputation for reliability. With high‐quality water sources, a sophisticated logistics network and a values‐led culture at its core, the business is entering an exciting new phase of growth, investment and operational maturity.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the CFO, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will assume full accountability for national operations across a complex, asset‐intensive, multi‐state footprint. This is a true COO role with end‐to‐end responsibility for operational performance, safety, sustainability and profitability. The mandate is clear: strengthen operational discipline, consistency and scalability while preserving the cultural strengths that have underpinned the organisation's success. The COO will lead all day-to-day operations across logistics and fleet, water resource management, core production assets, safety and compliance, ESG stewardship and continuous improvement. A key element of the role is ensuring that operational decisions are tightly aligned to commercial outcomes, customer profitability and long-term value creation as the business positions itself for its next stage of growth.
The COO will guide the ongoing evolution of the operating model, implementing standardised processes, systems and performance metrics to support growth, resilience and operational excellence. This includes optimising cost to serve, asset utilisation and labour efficiency across the network.Regular interstate travel and visible leadership across the operation are integral to the success of this role, enabling deep operational insight, effective team engagement and stronger relationships with customers and external stakeholders.
Key ResponsibilitiesLead all national operations across logistics, fleet, production and supply chainDrive operational efficiency, cost discipline and EBITDA improvement through focused executionOversee sustainable water resource management, including extraction, yield optimisation and regulatory complianceEmbed a safety-first culture with executive ownership of WHS performance across all operations and contractors- instil the core objective of zero-harmChampion ESG principles, aligning environmental stewardship with commercial outcomes and stakeholder expectationsPartner with finance and commercial teams to improve pricing discipline, cost‐to‐serve and customer profitabilityImplement data‐driven systems, KPIs and operating frameworks to support scalable, consistent performanceLead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity, asset utilisation and marginBuild, mentor and lead a high‐performing national operations team across production, logistics and supply chainThe Ideal Person
The ideal candidate is a seasoned operations executive with experience leading large‐scale, asset‐intensive and geographically dispersed businesses across transport, logistics, FMCG, manufacturing, supply chain or resource‐based environments.You will bring a strong track record of lifting operational performance, strengthening cost discipline and delivering EBITDA improvement through disciplined, focused execution. Your experience includes leading complex logistics networks, fleet operations and safety‐critical workforces within regulated settings, with a clear understanding of how operational decisions translate into commercial outcomes.
You build trust and credibility quickly across complex operating environments from frontline teams to senior stakeholders through careful listening, thoughtful questioning and a genuine understanding of how the operation functions on the ground. Strong commercial and financial acumen is complemented by a sound grasp of WHS, environmental and licensing requirements. Data‐informed and systems‐oriented, yet highly practical, your leadership style is characterised by low ego, high accountability and the ability to bring people with you through change. You instinctively value time on the ground, recognising regular travel as essential to visible leadership, deep operational insight and the building of strong, enduring relationships with internal teams, customers and external stakeholders.
Why This RoleA rare opportunity to step into a true national COO role with genuine scope and authorityInfluence the next phase of a respected Australian business with a long operating historyWork within a values‐based, founder‐led culture alongside sophisticated investorsDirect influence over operational performance, EBITDA growth and long‐term value creationShape an operating platform built for longevity, resilience and scaleThe Next StepsFor a confidential discussion and a copy of the Executive Brief, please contact Zoe Allan on 0417 558 531 or or Stephen Borg at .
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