Chief Operating Officer
12+ years · By negotiation (indicative market range)
A Chief Operating Officer runs the operating engine of the business. In manufacturing and industrial groups the COO is usually responsible for production across several sites, supply chain, engineering and SHEQ, with a mandate to scale output while tightening cost and delivery performance.
What the role involves
- Performance of all operations: safety, output, cost, quality and delivery
- Leading plant, supply chain, engineering and SHEQ heads
- Operational strategy, capacity planning and capital projects
- Standardising best practice and driving improvement across sites
- Major change programmes and industrial relations at group level
What boards look for
Multi-site operations leadership, strong financial understanding, a track record of leading change, and the presence to work as a partner to the CEO and CFO.
How PMG runs COO searches
We map senior operators in comparable and adjacent industries, approach them confidentially, and assess them on results, leadership and fit before presenting a shortlist. Candidates are introduced only with their written consent.
Frequently asked questions
COO or Operations Director?
The titles overlap. A COO usually sits on the executive committee with a group-wide remit; an Operations Director may run operations for one business or region.
Executive Search · Operations Director
Read more about how PMG recruits for this role on our COO Recruitment South Africa page.
Role descriptions on this page are indicative and for general guidance only. Requirements and pay vary by employer and are not a guarantee of any offer.
Typically Required
- Multi-site operations leadership
- Strong operational/financial acumen
- Change management track record
- Cross-functional executive experience
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