1361 Interim Operations Leader – Ramp-up

About Our Client:

Our client is a Private Equity backed European industrial technology manufacturer operating in advanced mechanical, and precision manufacturing markets. The business serves demanding international B2B customers across industrial, defence-related, and high-performance engineered applications.

The company employs more than 700 people and operates from a substantial manufacturing base in the Czech Republic, with customer exposure across Europe and wider international defence markets.

Following a significant scale-up in defence-related orders, the business is entering an exciting phase of operational growth. To support increasing customer demand and ensure the successful expansion of manufacturing capacity, the business requires interim operational leadership to help optimise output, enhance productivity, strengthen daily management routines, and maximise capacity utilisation while supporting continued growth and customer delivery excellence.

Project Description:

This is a 3-6 month interim operational performance improvement mandate reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

The Interim Operations Leader will take ownership of a major mechanics and precision machining area within a complex manufacturing environment. The assignment is focused on increasing output, improving productivity, strengthening shopfloor execution, and reducing dependency on further headcount growth.

The priority is hands-on interim executive leadership inside the operation, turning operational excellence initiatives into measurable results.

Key priorities include:

• Lead a sizeable CNC machining and mechanics production area.
• Improve output, machine utilisation, labour efficiency, workflow, changeovers, and daily management routines.
• Strengthen KPIs, shift discipline, escalation routines, and frontline accountability.
• Unlock hidden capacity from the existing organisation and reduce hiring pressure.
• Work alongside operational excellence support, lean management consultants, and convert improvement plans into sustainable execution.
• Support the permanent operations manager to enable succession and continuity planning.
• Collaborate with production, quality, planning, HR, transformation, and senior leadership in a fast-moving Private Equity-backed environment.

Interim Manager Required Skills:

• Proven experience leading large CNC machining or precision manufacturing operations.
• Track record delivering operational turnaround, productivity improvement, and capacity optimisation programmes.
• Strong expertise in operational excellence, daily management systems, KPI deployment, and performance management.
• Experience improving machine utilisation, labour productivity, throughput, changeovers, and workflow efficiency in complex manufacturing environments.
• Previous exposure to Private Equity-backed businesses, transformation programmes, or high-growth industrial organisations.
• Ability to work effectively alongside operational excellence teams while retaining ownership of operational delivery.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills with experience developing plant, production, or operations management teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage shopfloor teams, senior leadership, and investors.
• Fluent Czech required. English language is highly advantageous.

Key Requirements:

• CNC Machining,
• Precision Manufacturing,
• Operational Turnaround,
• Productivity Improvement,
• Operational Excellence

Type of Assignment:

Interim

Scope of Interim Assignment:

Manufacturing Ramp-up, Growth Acceleration

Functional Area of the Interim Manager:

Operations

Location:

Czech Republic

Duration:

3-6 months

Start Date:

June 2026

Why work with us?

CE Interim delivers proven executive interim leaders within 72 hours across borders, cultures, and industries. We specialize in high-impact interim management for private equity firms, family offices, and global corporations facing moments of transition: digital transformation, market entry, operational turnaround, post-merger integration, or crisis.

What sets us apart is not just the speed or depth of our network, it’s how we lead. Every engagement is personally guided by a CE Interim managing partner: former CEOs, CFOs, or COOs who’ve been on your side of the table, steering organizations through high-stakes decisions.

With a global talent pool and operational reach spanning Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, we don’t fill roles, we build trust, lead transitions, and deliver outcomes.

As part of the Valtus Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of Executive Interim Management companies, we ensure seamless international execution through 25+ offices and 80+ senior partners in over 50 countries.

Executive Leadership Breaking Borders. Outcomes Without Compromise.