COO

The Company

Schelstraete Delacourt is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) for one of our clients. The company is a private equity backed food company with an international scope. With multiple production facilities across Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and a focus on operational excellence, the company is well-positioned for its next phase of growth.

The Role

The COO will oversee 6 production facilities and drive the optimization of daily operations, playing a pivotal role in scaling the organization. They will ensure that operational processes evolve alongside company growth while setting new benchmarks for efficiency, excellence, and quality. As a key member of the executive team, the COO will report directly to the CEO.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop high-performing teams that embody accountability and a culture of operational excellence.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, quality, and HSE regulations while promoting a strong safety culture.
• Collaborate closely with Finance, R&D, and Commercial teams to align operations, enhance efficiency, and support sustainable growth.
• Optimize the operational footprint and streamline workflows across plants to maximize efficiency.
• Enhance plant layouts, implement lean manufacturing principles, and champion continuous improvement.
• Minimize waste in high-loss processes, optimize raw material use, and implement cost-saving initiatives.

Profile

• Strong career track in operations management roles up to multi-site management level. Previous experience as COO and Plant Manager is a must.
• Experience in industries/companies with solid capabilities in operational excellence/efficiency.
• Proven capability in leading operational transformations, bringing an organization to the next level in terms of operations and supply chain performance.
• Solid leadership skills, able to inspire and engage a team and set high standards of performance, while also being able to make tough decisions when needed.
• Combination of strategic acumen and hands-on execution: able to review an operational footprint from a strategic angle as well as being hands-on in the plants with a diligent eye for details.
• Combination of technical skills with the ability to work cross-functionally in a collaborative manner with other departments like sales & marketing, finance, HR, etc.
• Fit with the culture characterized as hands-on, down-to-earth, performance-driven, and entrepreneurial. Affinity with a private equity-owned company is a plus, but not a must.
• Master in Engineering and fluency in English. Dutch is a plus.