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Chief Operating Officer

Burton-on-Trent | Hybrid or Remote | £120,000–£160,000 | Full-time, Permanent

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A rare and significant executive appointment within a specialist clinical trial supply business — reporting directly to the Chairman.

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Our client is a well-established business operating within the clinical trial supply sector. As part of their continued growth and strategic development, they are now seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer to partner with the Chairman and provide strategic operational leadership across the organisation.

 

This is a genuinely senior appointment. The COO will be responsible for translating vision into execution — driving business transformation, improving operational performance, embracing digital innovation and building a culture of continuous improvement. The salary range of £120,000–£160,000 reflects the seniority of the role, with flexibility to consider beyond this range for the right candidate.

 

What the role involves

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Strategic Leadership

  • Partner with the Chairman and CSO to develop and deliver the organisation's strategic vision

  • Translate strategy into practical operational plans and measurable business outcomes (OKRs)

  • Lead the delivery of organisational transformation programmes that support long-term growth

  • Identify opportunities for innovation, efficiency and continuous improvement

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Operational Excellence

  • Provide leadership across all operational functions to ensure effective, efficient and high-quality service delivery

  • Develop and monitor operational performance against agreed OKRs

  • Drive process improvement and implement best practice across the organisation

  • Ensure resources are aligned to support business priorities and future growth

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Business Transformation & Digital Innovation

  • Champion digital transformation and the adoption of technology to improve operational effectiveness and customer experience

  • Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to enhance business performance

  • Lead organisational change initiatives and ensure successful implementation of transformation programmes

  • Foster a culture that embraces innovation, agility and continuous learning

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Leadership & Culture

  • Inspire, lead and develop senior leaders across the organisation

  • Mentor SMT and key leadership members to strengthen leadership capability

  • Promote collaboration across departments to ensure aligned decision-making

  • Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, innovation and customer outcomes

  • Support succession planning and organisational capability development

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Risk, Governance & Performance

  • Ensure robust operational governance, compliance and risk management frameworks are in place

  • Balance innovation with appropriate operational and commercial risk

  • Monitor organisational performance and provide regular reporting to the Chairman and Board

  • Use data and business intelligence to support informed decision-making

 

What we're looking for

  • Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role — COO or equivalent

  • Demonstrable track record leading organisational transformation and business change

  • Strong commercial awareness with the ability to translate strategy into operational delivery

  • Experience driving continuous improvement and operational excellence at an organisational level

  • Strong understanding of digital transformation and the effective use of technology to improve business performance

  • Exceptional leadership, coaching and people management skills at senior/executive level

  • Excellent strategic planning and organisational skills

  • Strong financial and commercial acumen

  • Outstanding communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills

  • Proven ability to make complex decisions in fast-paced environments

  • High level of analytical and problem-solving capability

  • Strong digital literacy, including proficiency with modern business systems and cloud-based platforms

  • Industry experience — essential

 

The package

  • Salary: £120,000–£160,000 depending on experience (flexibility to consider beyond this range for the right candidate)

  • Location: Burton-on-Trent / Hybrid or Remote

  • Type: Full-time, Permanent

  • Reporting to: Chairman

  • Benefits: Excellent benefits package

 

Apply or find out more

If you are a senior operational leader with the experience and vision to take on this appointment, we would like to hear from you.

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