Executive Search for Operational Leadership.
Adderleys specialises in operations recruitment for ambitious UK mid-market, private equity-backed, and growth-focused businesses. We recruit commercially focused operational leaders who strengthen performance, improve efficiency, support transformation, and drive long-term business growth across manufacturing, logistics, distribution, engineering, and operational environments.
Recruitment Overview
Strong operational leadership is critical to business performance, scalability, customer delivery, and long-term commercial success. Adderleys specialises in operations recruitment for ambitious UK mid-market, investor-backed, and growth-focused businesses seeking commercially focused operational leaders. We recruit Managing Directors, Operations Directors, COOs, General Managers, Heads of Operations, and operational specialists across manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, engineering, distribution, and transformation environments. Our retained recruitment approach combines executive-search quality with greater agility, competitive fee structures, and a streamlined client approval process — helping businesses secure high-impact operational talent quickly and efficiently.
Roles We Recruit
Roles We Recruit
Managing Director Recruitment
Recruitment for commercially focused Managing Directors who drive operational performance, strategic growth, organisational leadership, and long-term business value.
Operations Director Recruitment
Executive search for Chief Operating Officers who align operational strategy with commercial performance, transformation, and organisational growth objectives.
General Manager Recruitment
Recruitment for General Managers responsible for operational leadership, business performance, team management, and multi-functional delivery.
Head of Operations Recruitment
Leadership recruitment for Heads of Operations who oversee operational efficiency, process improvement, customer delivery, and team performance.
Manufacturing Operations Recruitment
Specialist recruitment for manufacturing leaders responsible for production, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and site performance.
Distribution & Logistics Recruitment
Recruitment for logistics and distribution professionals managing warehousing, transport, fulfilment, operational planning, and customer delivery functions.
Operational Excellence Recruitment
Recruitment for operational excellence and continuous improvement professionals focused on process optimisation, efficiency, and business performance improvement.
Supply Chain Operations Recruitment
Recruitment for operational supply chain leaders managing planning, inventory, logistics, supplier coordination, and end-to-end operational flow.
Continuous Improvement Recruitment
Specialist recruitment for professionals leading lean initiatives, process improvement, operational transformation, and performance optimisation programmes.
Transformation Director Recruitment
Executive search for transformation leaders driving operational change, restructuring, integration, and strategic business improvement initiatives.
Interim Operations Recruitment
Interim recruitment solutions for operational leadership, turnaround support, transformation delivery, and short-term operational management requirements.
Site Leadership Recruitment
Recruitment for site leaders responsible for operational performance, workforce management, production efficiency, and health & safety oversight.
Multi-Site Operations Recruitment
Leadership recruitment for operational professionals managing regional, national, or multi-site operational environments across complex organisations.
Production Leadership Recruitment
Recruitment for production leaders responsible for manufacturing performance, operational efficiency, quality standards, and team management.
Warehouse & Distribution Leadership Recruitment
Specialist recruitment for warehouse and distribution leaders overseeing logistics operations, fulfilment performance, inventory management, and operational delivery.
Sectors
Industry Expertise
Industries
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
- Logistics & Distribution
- Supply Chain
- FMCG
- Retail & Ecommerce
- Industrial
- Packaging
- Food & Beverage
- Warehousing & Fulfilment
- Automotive
- Construction Products
- Business Services
- Private Equity-Backed Businesses
- Multi-Site Operations
- Technical & Operational Services
Growth Environments
- Mid-Market Businesses
- Growth-Focused Organisations
- Private Equity-Backed Businesses
- Investor-Backed Companies
- Founder-Led Businesses
- Family-Owned Businesses
- Scaling Organisations
- Multi-Site Operations
- Operationally Complex Businesses
- Transformation & Change Environments
- Restructuring & Turnaround Situations
- Expanding National Businesses
- International Growth Environments
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Operations Leadership Insights
Senior Operations Leaders: Understand Where the Market Is Moving Before It Moves.
The most successful Operations Directors and COOs don't wait for opportunities to find them — they build the professional positioning that ensures the right mandates reach them first. We work with senior operational leaders who want to access confidential executive opportunities, understand how the market values their skills, and receive intelligence on where leadership demand is growing across manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, and operationally complex businesses.
Access Leadership InsightsWhat You Receive
- Confidential operations leadership opportunities not publicly advertised
- Market intelligence on operations executive demand by sector
- Professional positioning and profile analysis
- Strategic career insight from specialist executive search consultants
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