The Client

Our client is a growing manufacturing company in the food industry, entering a new phase of business development and expansion of its production capacity.

To support further growth, the company is seeking an experienced leader to take ownership of operations, improve processes, and develop the organisation in line with increasing business demands.

The Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be responsible for the full operational process, from raw material sourcing through manufacturing to delivery of finished products, reporting directly to the CEO.

The role combines strategic planning with a strong presence in the production facility. The successful candidate will translate business plans into achievable operational objectives, improve the use of capacity and resources, and ensure effective coordination across key business functions.

Particular emphasis will be placed on increasing production volumes, bringing new products into commercial production, and developing the leadership capacity and organisational structures needed to support further growth.

Key responsibilities include:

• Manufacturing and Operational Performance: Leading production, improving the use of the facility, equipment and workforce, and establishing clear plans and performance measures for efficiency, quality and production reliability
• Production Scale-up: Leading the increase in production volumes and the introduction of new products into commercial production, ensuring the necessary capacity, processes and resources are in place
• Raw Material Sourcing: Overseeing raw material procurement and availability, developing supplier relationships and securing the supply needed to support planned production growth
• Maintenance and Investment Projects: Planning and delivering operational investment projects in cooperation with the Head of Maintenance, ensuring that equipment and infrastructure support reliable production and continued growth
• People and Organisational Development: Leading operational teams, developing existing and future managers, and establishing clear responsibilities and expectations for performance
• Cross-functional Coordination: Working with supply chain, logistics, finance and commercial teams to align production and delivery plans with customer requirements and business objectives
• Operational Costs and Profitability: Taking ownership of production efficiency, resource utilisation and manufacturing costs as key drivers of profitability, in close cooperation with the CFO

The Candidate

We are seeking an experienced leader with strong manufacturing expertise who can connect day-to-day decisions on the factory floor with the company’s business and financial objectives. A hands-on approach, effective collaboration across functions, and the ability to develop people for increasing levels of responsibility are essential.

We are looking for someone with:

• At least 10 years of experience in senior manufacturing or operations roles, preferably in the food industry or a comparable process industry
• A proven record of scaling production capacity, improving facility utilisation or establishing operational structures during a period of significant business growth
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and the ability to make sound decisions in a complex production environment
• Experience leading larger operational teams, managing managers and developing future leaders
• An understanding of how manufacturing decisions affect costs, efficiency and business profitability
• Experience planning and delivering investment projects in a manufacturing environment
• The ability to work effectively in a changing environment, with a strong motivation to build and improve processes and organisational structures as the business grows
• Willingness to be based in Zagreb and regularly present at the production facility

What We Offer

• Compensation package in line with the scope and responsibilities of the role
• Key leadership role with broad operational responsibility and a direct impact on business performance
• Opportunity to lead production capacity expansion and deliver important investment projects
• Scope to improve operational processes, develop managers and shape an organisation capable of supporting further growth
• Close collaboration with the CEO and key business functions in delivering the company’s growth plans

Contact

If you have experience leading manufacturing operations and would like to play a key role in a company’s next phase of growth, we invite you to apply. Please submit your application and CV via the APPLICATION LINK. All applications will be treated in strict confidence.