Group Operations Director in Stevenage

This is an opportunity to become the operational architect behind an ambitious, investor-backed SME group with significant growth plans. Working directly alongside the investors, you will play a pivotal role in building the infrastructure, leadership capability and operational platform required to scale a portfolio of entrepreneurial businesses through both organic growth and acquisition.

We are looking for a commercially minded operator who understands how to create structure without bureaucracy, drive performance without losing agility and build businesses that are capable of sustainable, profitable growth.

The Group is entering an exciting phase of development. With a number of established subsidiaries and a clear acquisition strategy, we require a trusted right-hand leader who can bring cohesion, consistency and operational excellence across the portfolio. You will be responsible for creating the systems, governance, reporting structures and operating disciplines that allow businesses to grow faster, perform better and integrate seamlessly into the wider Group. This is a highly visible leadership role with genuine influence over the future direction of the business.

What You'll Be Doing

• Partnering closely with the owners to execute the Group growth strategy.
• Driving operational excellence across multiple businesses.
• Establishing scalable systems, processes and governance frameworks.
• Supporting acquisition due diligence and leading integration activity.
• Creating consistency in reporting, performance management and business controls.
• Working alongside Managing Directors to improve profitability, productivity and leadership capability.
• Developing future leaders and succession pipelines across the Group.
• Delivering strategic projects that enhance value creation and long-term performance.
• Building a culture of accountability, ownership and entrepreneurial thinking.

What We're Looking For

You may currently be a:

• Group Operations Director
• COO
• Managing Director
• Operations Director
• Business Transformation Leader

Most importantly, you will have a proven track record of building and improving businesses. You will bring:

• Experience within entrepreneurial, private equity or investor-backed environments.
• Strong commercial and operational leadership capability.
• Experience integrating acquisitions and driving change.
• The ability to build trust quickly with business leaders and stakeholders.
• A hands-on approach with the credibility to operate at Board level.
• The maturity, openness and emotional intelligence to become a genuine partner to the CEO.

Why Join?

This is a rare opportunity to help build something significant. You'll join a business where decisions are made quickly, ideas are welcomed, and success is rewarded. The role offers genuine influence, autonomy and the opportunity to create lasting value across a growing portfolio of businesses. For the right individual, this is more than an operational leadership role. It's an opportunity to shape the future of an ambitious Group, leave a lasting legacy and share directly in the value you help create.