Chief Operating Officer

Role Overview

Our client is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to work closely with the owners and executive team in shaping the business into a more disciplined, scalable, and high-performing manufacturing organization. The company is a long-standing component manufacturer serving the pharmaceutical sector.

This is an important leadership opportunity within a privately owned manufacturing business that is at a turning point in its growth journey. The COO will help modernize the operating model, strengthen leadership depth, and support the organization’s next stage of expansion and succession.

The preferred candidate will bring extensive manufacturing leadership experience, especially across multiple locations, along with a strong engineering and operations foundation. Experience guiding change in a privately held or family-run manufacturing setting is highly valued.

Operational Leadership and Execution

Oversee daily operations across several manufacturing sites and ensure they stay aligned with business goals, customer expectations, and profitability needs.

Create and implement a multi-plant operating plan centered on scalability, standardization, and durable growth.

Convert a complex, multi-location operation into a disciplined, high-performance system that improves margins.

Build accountability using standardized operational metrics such as OEE, on-time delivery, scrap, labor efficiency, inventory turns, and quality performance.

Put in place consistent operating methods and performance management routines across all facilities.

Manufacturing Excellence and Continuous Improvement

Lead lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and broader continuous improvement efforts across the organization.

Improve production scheduling, capacity planning, workflow design, and resource use.

Identify and deploy automation, technology, and process enhancements that increase output and lower costs.

Promote a culture grounded in operational discipline, structured problem-solving, and ongoing improvement.

Supply Chain, Quality, and Compliance

Direct procurement, inventory control, logistics, and supplier performance throughout the enterprise.

Develop approaches to lower supply chain exposure, strengthen material availability, and improve working capital efficiency.

Ensure every facility complies with quality, safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.

Support a culture focused on customer satisfaction, product excellence, and dependable operations.

Lead corrective actions, risk reduction efforts, and enterprise-wide quality improvement initiatives.

Financial and Strategic Leadership

Own operating budgets, capital spending plans, cost management efforts, and margin improvement programs.

Work with finance leadership on forecasting, budgeting, EBITDA improvement, and long-range operational planning.

Support strategic growth projects such as acquisitions, integrations, plant expansions, and technology investments.

Partner with sales, engineering, and executive leaders to align operational capability with market needs and growth plans.

Leadership, Coaching, and Organizational Development

Direct and develop plant general managers, operations leaders, and operational teams across functions.

Act as a mentor to emerging leaders and help strengthen the company’s leadership pipeline.

Bring structure, objectivity, and operational rigor to a company moving into its next leadership phase.

Support succession planning, leadership development, and organizational alignment across operations.

Collaborate with HR on workforce planning, talent development, and organizational effectiveness.

Organizational Transition and Future Growth

This position is central to the company’s planned leadership transition and future structure. Over the next 24 to 36 months, the COO is expected to take on greater responsibility for all operational functions, partner closely with ownership and senior leadership to ensure continuity and knowledge transfer, provide visible leadership across plant sites, support the rollout of the growth strategy, and possibly expand into a broader President-level role as part of the succession plan.

Education

A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or a related discipline is required. An MBA or another advanced degree is preferred.

Experience

Candidates should bring at least 15 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, including 10 or more years in a senior executive role managing multiple facilities across different geographic regions.

Experience leading a multi-site manufacturing organization with substantial scale is preferred, including exposure to operations supporting combined sales of $250 million or more.

Background in component manufacturing, industrial manufacturing, precision manufacturing, or another engineered-products environment is important.

A strong record of standardizing operations, improving productivity, and expanding margins across multiple plants is expected.

Experience rolling out Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and company-wide operational excellence programs is required.

Experience in privately owned, family-owned, or entrepreneurial manufacturing businesses is strongly preferred.

Prior work in succession planning, organizational transformation, or executive transition settings is considered highly desirable.

Additional Information

This position is based in Morristown, New Jersey and is an onsite full-time role.