At a Glance
- Tasks: Partner with CEOs to tackle operational challenges and drive transformation.
- Company: Dynamic private equity firm focused on value creation across diverse portfolios.
- Benefits: Flexible employment options, significant exposure to leadership, and impactful work.
- Other info: Opportunity for hands-on involvement in strategic repositioning and operational improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in businesses while navigating complex challenges.
- Qualifications: Experience as a CEO or transformation specialist in private equity-backed environments.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
A highly active lower mid-market private equity investor is seeking an experienced Operating Partner or Portfolio Transformation Executive to support a portfolio of industrial and business-to-business companies across the UK and Europe.
The role is focused on working with management teams and investors in complex operational situations where businesses require hands-on intervention, strategic repositioning and operational improvement. Typical scenarios may include revenue decline, customer concentration challenges, working capital pressures, margin compression, organisational restructuring, acquisition integration and broader transformation initiatives.
This is not a traditional board-level advisory position. The successful individual will be expected to work closely with management teams, often in challenging environments, helping businesses navigate periods of change while building sustainable long-term value.
The firm is open to both permanent and interim solutions depending on the profile and experience of the candidate.
Key Responsibilities- Partner with portfolio company CEOs and leadership teams to diagnose operational and commercial challenges.
- Lead and support turnaround, restructuring and performance improvement initiatives.
- Develop and execute value creation plans across portfolio businesses.
- Support companies experiencing revenue decline, customer losses, operational inefficiencies or cash flow challenges.
- Drive operational excellence programmes focused on profitability, scalability and sustainable growth.
- Assist management teams through acquisition integration and buy-and-build strategies.
- Improve reporting, governance and performance measurement frameworks.
- Act as a trusted advisor to investors, boards and executive teams.
- Provide hands-on support during periods of transformation, organisational change and strategic repositioning.
- Identify and implement practical solutions to complex business challenges.
The successful candidate will typically come from one of two backgrounds:
Route One – Former Private Equity-Backed CEO- Minimum six years' experience as a CEO within a private equity-backed environment.
- Proven track record leading businesses through growth and transformation.
- Experience managing distressed, underperforming or special situation environments.
- Demonstrated success improving operational performance, profitability and organisational effectiveness.
- Experience working directly with private equity investors and boards.
- Experience serving as CEO, Interim CEO, Executive Chair or Operating Executive across multiple private equity-backed portfolio companies.
- Track record working across at least three to five businesses requiring turnaround, restructuring or transformation support.
- Experience addressing complex situations including:
- Cash flow and liquidity challenges.
- Customer attrition and declining revenues.
- Margin erosion.
- Operational underperformance.
- Integration and post-acquisition challenges.
- Leadership and organisational restructuring.
- Strong background in management consulting, operational consulting or performance improvement environments, or significant exposure to those methodologies throughout a corporate career.
- Deep understanding of how to diagnose and solve complex business problems.
- Extensive experience within lower mid-market businesses.
- Strong exposure to founder-led and family-owned companies.
- Significant M&A and acquisition integration experience.
- Strong business-to-business sector experience.
- Industrials or industrial-adjacent sector expertise strongly preferred.
- Experience operating in businesses undergoing rapid change, transformation or restructuring.
- Ability to work effectively with management teams while maintaining credibility with investors.
- English or Dutch language capabilities strongly preferred.
- Highly commercial and pragmatic approach.
- Comfortable operating in hands-on environments rather than purely strategic roles.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- Ability to build trust quickly with founders, CEOs and leadership teams.
- Comfortable travelling across portfolio locations as required.
This is an opportunity to join an ambitious private equity platform and have a direct impact on value creation across a portfolio of businesses. The successful individual will be a key partner to investors and management teams, helping businesses navigate complex challenges while driving long-term growth and operational improvement.
The role offers significant exposure to portfolio company leadership, investment professionals and board-level stakeholders, with the flexibility to be structured as either a permanent Operating Partner appointment or an interim transformation mandate.
Operating Partner / Portfolio Transformation Executive in London employer: Bruin
Join a dynamic private equity firm in London that prioritises hands-on engagement and operational excellence. As an Operating Partner or Portfolio Transformation Executive, you will have the unique opportunity to work closely with management teams across diverse industries, driving meaningful change and sustainable growth. The company fosters a collaborative culture that values innovation and offers extensive professional development opportunities, making it an excellent employer for those looking to make a significant impact in their careers.
