Kaizen Talent Solutions
Managing Director
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The Opportunity
As this long-standing West Midlands specialist metal fabrication manufacturer approaches its centenary year, it stands at a pivotal point in its growth journey. Generating circa £20m turnover and profitable, with approximately 200 employees across multiple regional facilities, the group is a recognised market leader delivering complex, end-to-end structural steel and engineered solutions for critical national infrastructure.
Backed by a supportive parent group, the business enjoys an enviable reputation, a thriving core order book and exceptional tailwinds from major UK infrastructure cycles. The foundations are rock solid. Now, we are looking for an ambitious, operationally grounded Managing Director to lead the business into its next era: maximising operational performance, driving productivity, elevating management capability, and diversifying commercial exposure.
The Role
With full P&L and operational accountability for the regional business and its specialist trading divisions, you will be a figurehead internally and externally: a decisive leader capable of switching seamlessly between strategic thinker, operational architect, and hands-on executor.
- Operational Excellence & Productivity: Through your operations team you will drive site-level continuous improvement, streamline multi-site manufacturing and installation processes, protect project margins, and ensure consistent monthly billing execution.
- Leadership & Organisational Evolution: Continue the modernisation journey from a traditional legacy culture. Transition a highly capable, technically strong team of "doers" into strategic business managers while building out a resilient succession plan.
- Commercial Growth & Diversification: Capitalise on heavy infrastructure demand while proactively steering the long-term diversification strategy into broader industrial, architectural, and commercial sectors.
- Pragmatic Financial Management: Work closely with Group leadership to optimise cost structures, drive cash generation, and maximise ROI on capital deployment.
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The Ideal Candidate
We are seeking a pragmatic, high-energy MD who understands what "good" looks like from a structured corporate environment earlier in their career, but now thrives in the fast-paced, fluid world of mid-market SMEs.
Experience & Background
- Sector Knowledge: Proven senior leadership experience within fabrication, structural engineering, complex steelwork, or project/installation-led operations.
- P&L Leadership: Demonstrable track record holding P&L responsibility (either as MD, BU Director, or General Manager) within an SME or standalone division (£15m–£30m+ turnover).
- Operational Pedigree: Ideally early-career exposure to formal structured leadership programs (e.g., Tier-1 manufacturing or engineering groups) coupled with real-world SME experience.
- Change Leadership: Experience modernising operations, introducing robust systems, and guiding teams through cultural and organisational transition.
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Key Personal Attributes
- Strong Operational DNA: A passion for factory floor productivity, process optimisation, and workflow bottleneck removal.
- Decisive & Comfortable with Ambiguity: Confident making sharp, commercial decisions with 80% of the information when speed to market dictates.
- Intellectual Agility & Presence: An articulate communicator capable of inspiring teams, pitching to key client stakeholders, and reporting effectively at board level.
- Grounded & Hands-On: Possesses the humility to roll up their sleeves when required, carrying the team temporarily while building robust processes for the future.
Why Consider This Role?
- High Impact & Immediate "Low-Hanging Fruit": Inherit a business with a strong pipeline and clear operational improvement opportunities where your leadership will directly drive bottom-line results.
- Autonomy & Support: Enjoy genuine operational autonomy to build a team, supported by the strategic backing of a wider group.
- Legacy & Scale: Lead a prestigious West Midlands manufacturer as it establishes its foundation for its second century of operations.
How to Apply
If you are a proven leader ready to take full ownership of a respected West Midlands group, please submit your CV in confidence. (All initial discussions will be held on a strictly confidential basis).
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