Morgan Latif is a specialist leadership search & development consultancy. We partner with clients across the Medical & Dental Technology, Packaging, Consumer, E-mobility, and Industrial Technology sectors to support their transformation and diversity objectives. Our mission is to combine traditional recruitment and coaching methodologies with innovative technology to deliver tailored solutions to both clients and candidates.
Position Overview
Morgan Latif has been exclusively retained by a private equity-backed European industrial technology group to appoint a Chief Operating Officer (COO).
With a strong engineering foundation and an expanding international footprint, the organisation is entering a critical phase of its journey, transitioning from an acquisition led growth strategy to a focused period of integration, operational optimisation, and value creation.
The COO will play a central role in driving this transformation, leading operational excellence across multiple international sites, supporting M&A integration, and building a scalable operating model to enable continued growth and a successful future exit.
This is a hands-on leadership role, requiring a high impact operator comfortable working at pace within a private equity environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead execution of the operational value creation plan, targeting significant margin expansion
- Drive immediate OPEX improvements, including footprint optimisation, inventory reduction, and planning enhancements
- Own and lead post-merger integration (PMI) activities for recent and future acquisitions
- Develop and implement a scalable group operating system (e.g. Danaher-style), including KPI frameworks and daily management routines
- Reduce complexity within a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment
- Embed best practices across safety, quality, delivery, inventory, and productivity (SQDIP)
- Build and strengthen central functions (e.g. supply chain, EHS, operational controlling)
- Lead and develop an international, multi-site leadership team
- Partner closely with executive leadership and investors to support performance and exit readiness
Qualifications
- Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role (COO, Operations Director, or equivalent) within a multi-site industrial or manufacturing environment
- Strong track record of delivering operational excellence and measurable performance improvements
- Hands-on experience with M&A integration and post-acquisition value creation
- Background in low-volume, high-complexity manufacturing (engineered or customised products)
- Experience implementing structured operating systems and performance frameworks
- Highly hands-on, execution-focused leadership style
- Experience operating in a private equity-backed or high-performance environment is advantageous
- Fluent German and English (shopfloor engagement required)
- Willingness to travel regularly across sites 50%
We look forward to your application!