How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
About THX
THX is a founder-led specialist plant and equipment hire business serving the fit-out sector, built on a simple promise: no ordinary hire experience. The business has grown revenue by more than 50% year on year, operates a modern fleet with 95% of assets under five years old, and employs around 190 people. THX has a clearly articulated plan: £50m revenue, a 40% EBITDA margin and a targeted exit in 2028. This role exists to lead operations through that journey.
The Role
- Reports To: Managing Director
- Location: Bedford, on site (multi-site presence as THX grows)
- Team: Warehouse, Workshop, Transport and Health & Safety; c.140 operational staff via departmental managers
- Seat: Senior Leadership Team member
Role Purpose
To lead THX operations through the journey from c.£28m to £50m+ revenue while materially improving operational efficiency, safety and customer experience. The Operations Director owns the operational P&L levers (operational wages, haulage, workshop cost, fleet availability) and is directly accountable for reversing the decline in operational wage efficiency as the business scales. The role is a genuine player-coach position: strategic at the SLT table, hands-on in the yard, and a developer of the management team beneath it.
Key Accountabilities
Operational efficiency and EBITDA
- Own the operational cost base and drive a material reduction in operations wages as a percentage of revenue, without degrading service.
- Embed and improve the operational efficiency scorecard: trips per driver, inspections per head, NCRs (process errors), and on-time in-full delivery, reported monthly into the board pack.
- Design an operating model that grows revenue faster than operational headcount, so volume scales through process, planning and technology rather than bodies.
- Work with the Commercial Director to strengthen cross-hire partner performance and commercial outcomes.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Leadership and capability building
- Partner with the warehouse, workshop and transport managers to shape how the operation scales.
- Set clear KPIs and hold weekly operational cadence, feeding accurate data into the monthly board pack.
- Champion the HIRE values (Humility, Innovation, Refreshing, Energetic) and protect the THX customer experience as the business scales.
Fleet and asset performance
- Maximise return on the hire fleet: availability, utilisation, first-time fix, servicing schedules and asset lifecycle decisions in partnership with Finance and Procurement.
- Unlock the currently unutilised on-hire value potential identified in the fleet through better availability and turnaround.
Safety, compliance and infrastructure
- Own health and safety across all operational areas, ensuring compliance with UK regulation, FORS/transport requirements and industry best practice.
- Play a leading role in premises and depot decisions, ensuring operational needs shape the property strategy.
Process and continuity
- Document operational processes and systems so the business runs by method, not memory, and can withstand external scrutiny.
- Build a demonstrable multi-year track record of improving efficiency metrics across the operation.
- Partner with the Digital Transformation Director to automate operational workflows, with a bias to more volume through fewer touches.
Requirements
Essential
- Proven senior operations leadership (Operations Director, Head of Operations or equivalent) in equipment hire, rental, plant, tool hire or closely related logistics-intensive businesses
- Has operated at or scaled a business through £30m to £50m+ revenue, with demonstrable P&L accountability for operational cost lines
- Track record of measurably improving operational efficiency: labour productivity, transport cost per drop, workshop throughput or equivalent
- A genuine player-coach: credible at board level and equally credible on the depot floor, with evidence of developing inexperienced managers into strong ones
- Strong data literacy: comfortable owning KPIs, building scorecards and presenting numbers confidently in a board environment
- Deep understanding of warehouse, workshop and transport operations, including UK transport compliance and health and safety leadership
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Desirable
- Experience in a private equity backed, exit-oriented or owner-managed environment, including exposure to operational due diligence
- Experience of multi-depot expansion or greenfield site openings
- Lean, continuous improvement or operational excellence methodology applied in a hire or distribution context
- Experience implementing operational technology (telematics, routing, workshop management, ERP)
Benefits
The Opportunity and Package
THX is a founder-led, fast-growing specialist hire business with a clearly articulated plan: £50m revenue, 40% EBITDA and a targeted exit in 2028. This role offers a rare combination of SLT influence, genuine operational ownership and the chance to build the operations function that carries the business to exit. The package comprises a competitive six-figure base salary, car allowance, performance bonus linked to EBITDA and operational efficiency, pension and benefits. For the right candidate there is scope to discuss long-term incentive participation aligned to the 2028 value creation plan, subject to performance and board approval.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location