Private Equity Operations Director/ Portfolio CEO or COO (m/f)

The company

Our client is an established German private equity fund with a focus on operational value creation – many portfolio companies are underperforming from an operational perspective. For their portfolio management team they are currently interested to hire an additional Operations Director (m/f) who should very soon take over a CEO/COO/CRO or similar role in one of their existing or newly acquired portfolio companies.

Your tasks

• Pre-transaction: Participation in the deal process and due diligence, especially on operational, strategic and management matters including development of robust improvement/restructuring concepts and business cases etc.
• Post-transaction: Taking on management positions as CXO in a specific portfolio company and drive restructuring as well as growth initiatives with specific functional focus on supply chain and production or – alternatively – topline related initiatives

What you bring with you

• Minimum of 10-15 years of professional experience, from top-notch strategy consulting firm + additional experience from a corporate management position with focus on operations (supply chain/lean manufacturing/purchasing) or top-line related matters (salesforce effectiveness, pricing etc.). This combination of professional experience is an absolute must!
• Previous restructuring/performance improvement experience required within the manufacturing sector (industrials, automotive etc.)
• Ideally mid-market (German ‘Mittelstand’) exposure with P&L or at least cost center responsibility
• Outstanding academic credentials and steady & consistent career progression (at least project manager level in strategy consulting)
• Profound management- and leadership skills in difficult situations requiring change
• Absolute flexibility, willingness to travel (you will have to work on-site at the portfolio companies over a longer period)
• Highly ambitious and motivated
• Hands-on, ‘get-thing-done’ type of person
• Excellent German & English language skills