1328 | Interim COO | Arizona, USA
Client Description:
Our client is a North American manufacturing platform supporting the defence industrial base and other mission-critical infrastructure sectors.
The company operates several large production facilities delivering integrated capabilities, including engineering support, precision fabrication, assembly, and systems integration.
With demand increasing across defence programmes, the organisation is entering a phase of significant manufacturing expansion. Production supports regulated supply chains and complies with Trade Agreements Act (TAA) and Buy American Act (BAA) requirements.
As programme volumes increase, one of the company’s major facilities now requires stronger operational control. Leadership has identified the need to expand manufacturing capacity, stabilise execution reliability, and reinforce operational discipline within the plant environment.
The role focuses on strengthening plant leadership, improving operational control, and ensuring the manufacturing platform can support programme-driven growth without compromising quality, compliance, or delivery performance.
Job Challenge:
- Acting as Interim Chief Operating Officer, reporting directly to the executive leadership team and company owners
- Leading the operational ramp-up of a large-scale manufacturing facility supporting defence production programmes and mission-critical industrial contracts
- Conducting a rapid diagnostic of manufacturing throughput, production planning, inventory visibility, material flow, workforce effectiveness, and plant leadership capability
- Stabilising production scheduling, material availability, and supply chain coordination to support programme-driven manufacturing environments
- Addressing operational issues typically associated with large-scale defence programme ramp-up, including long-lead material readiness, production bottlenecks, labour productivity, traceability, discipline, and execution reliability.
- Strengthening plant leadership capability across operations, supply chain, production supervision, and functional management, ensuring clear accountability for daily performance
- Implementing operational excellence structures, including performance management routines, governance cadence, KPI visibility, escalation disciplines, and practical shop-floor controls
- Ensuring manufacturing operations align with Trade Agreements Act and Buy American Act requirements within regulated defence supply chains
- Supporting the business in increasing manufacturing capacity while maintaining delivery reliability, quality standards, compliance expectations, and customer confidence
- Providing executive leadership with insight on organisational capability, succession and continuity planning, and structural improvements needed to support continued growth
Manager Skills:
- Proven experience leading manufacturing ramp-ups or scale-ups in defence, aerospace, or other regulated industrial environments
- Former COO, Operations Director, Plant Director, or senior interim manufacturing executive
- Strong background in complex manufacturing operations and programme-driven production environments
- Hands-on expertise in production planning, inventory control, material flow, and supply chain coordination
- Track record strengthening plant leadership, operational discipline, and execution reliability
- Experience implementing operational excellence systems and KPI-driven performance management
- Familiarity with regulated defence supply chains and TAA / BAA compliance
- Pragmatic, hands-on leadership style focused on operational execution and results
Requirement 01: Proven experience leading manufacturing ramp-ups or operational scale-ups in complex, high-reliability industrial environments (defence, aerospace, or comparable sectors)
Requirement 02: Track record as COO, Operations Director, or Plant Director managing large-scale manufacturing operations
Requirement 03: US work authorization required (US citizen or existing work permit). Candidates should already be based and working in the United States.
Area: General Management
Location: Arizona, USA
Duration: 9-12 months
Start: March 2026
Type: Interim
❗❗❗Do NOT miss the Next Project Opportunity – Project newsletter Subscribe now 👇
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/new-opened-interim-projects-6891809633951174656/
❗Want to win MORE Interim Projects❓ Subscribe here for my BEST practical TIPS and TRICKS for INTERIM MANAGERS👇
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/for-my-dear-interim-managers-7295103524093190144/
