Private Equity Operations Director / Manager (m/f)

German Private Equity Fund focused on Operational Value Creation

The Company

Our client is an established German private equity fund with a focus on operational value creation – many portfolio companies are underperforming from an operational perspective. For their portfolio management team they are currently interested to hire an Operations Manager (m/f) who should either support the CEO (a former operating partner of the PE fund) in the portfolio firm in the transformation process or take on a program management role for a portfolio firm where there is no former operating partner from the PE fund in place.

Your Tasks

  • Pre-transaction: Participation in the deal process and due diligence, especially on operational, strategic and management matters including development of robust improvement/restructuring concepts and business cases etc.
  • Post-transaction: taking on a program management position in a specific portfolio company either as a wing-man/support of the CEO to make sure that the value creation initiatives of the fund are implemented.
  • Mid-term career perspectives: to become a CEO of a future portfolio company.

What you bring with you

  • 7-12 years of professional experience, from top-notch strategy consulting firm (at least project manager level) and additional experience from a corporate management position with focus on operations (supply chain/lean manufacturing/purchasing) or top-line related matters (sales force effectiveness, pricing etc.). This combination of professional experience is an absolute must!
  • Restructuring/performance improvement experience required within the manufacturing sector (industrials, automotive etc.)
  • Ideally mid-market (German ‘Mittelstand’) exposure or at least “mind-set”
  • Outstanding academic credentials and steady & consistent career progression (at least to project manager level in strategy consulting)
  • Profound management- and leadership skills in difficult situations requiring change
  • Absolute flexibility, willingness to travel (you will have to work on-site at the portfolio companies over a longer period)
  • Highly ambitious and motivated
  • Hands-on, ‘get-things-done’ type of person
  • Excellent German & English language skills