Interim Chief Operating Officer/VP of Operations
Listed on 2026-09-12
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Manufacturing / Production
Operations Management, Change Management, Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma
Contract | 6–12 months | Day rate + expenses | Travel M–F, CONUSThe mandate
A sponsor-backed manufacturer needs an operating leader on site now — because the seat is empty, because the thesis is behind schedule, or because the plan calls for structural change the incumbent team has never executed. You take the chair and run the plant network while the permanent search runs in parallel or the transformation completes.
Mandates vary by portfolio company. Common versions include modernizing plant layout and material flow, consolidating two or three sites into one, standing up a nearshore footprint to replace offshore capacity, or simply installing the daily management discipline that makes the rest of the plan possible.
What you'll own- Full P&L and operational accountability across one or more manufacturing sites
- Safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance against a sponsor-approved operating plan
- Plant consolidation or footprint change: sequencing, equipment moves, customer qualification, downtime management
- Layout and flow redesign to lift throughput without capital where possible
- Offshore-to-nearshore transitions, including supplier qualification and dual-running periods
- Stabilizing and developing the existing leadership team — you will likely be assessing your own successor
- Weekly reporting cadence to the CEO, board, and sponsor operating partner
Establish a factual operating baseline within three weeks. Identify the constraint. Publish a ranked value-lever list with sizing, owner, and confidence level. Get the top three moving.
What you bring- 15+ years in manufacturing operations, with at least 5 in a plant manager, VP Ops, or COO seat
- Direct experience carrying a P&L in a private-equity-owned or otherwise leveraged environment
- At least one completed plant consolidation, relocation, or major footprint change
- Fluency in lean operating systems — you can run a tiered daily management structure, not just describe one
- Comfort operating without a full staff, a clean data set, or a long runway
- Willingness to be on site five days a week
Strong plus: prior interim work; multi-site network experience; nearshoring into Mexico or Central America; union environment experience.
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