Does a PE-backed company always need a COO?

No. COO is the right hire when the CEO is externally focused (fundraising, M&A, board) and operational complexity is high enough to require a peer. In smaller portfolio companies, a strong VP Operations or General Manager often outperforms a misfit COO.

What does a great supply chain leader for a PE portco look like?

Someone who has restructured a supply chain function, not just optimized an existing one. PE-backed supply chain leaders need to make rapid structural decisions, often with constrained capital and external pressure from sponsors.

Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Operations Executive Search

Operation leaders engineered for effciency

Install veteran COOs, VPs of Operations, or Chief Supply Chain Officers who can optimize the bottom line.

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106 Median Days to Close

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Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Operations

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The Function

Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Operations
executive search

Operations leadership is being hired to turn volatility into advantage rather than wait it out, and agentic AI is now part of that mandate. 71% of executives in our 2026 research say future leaders will need different technical capability around AI, and in operations that means COOs and chief supply chain officers who can put predictive maintenance, autonomous logistics, and demand forecasting to work without disrupting what already runs well.

Bain's 2025 outlook shows 78% of operators now treat tariff volatility as a structural cost, so the leaders worth pursuing are the ones who design for instability and can stand up a standalone P&L quickly when a carve-out calls for it.

Source: ON Partners Widening Gap, 2026, Bain Supply Chain Outlook 2025 & PwC US Deals Outlook 2026

Roles in this function

Operations isn’t one job. It’s an organization.

A sample of the roles we place across this function, from the C-suite through the vice president ranks. Our partners know these seats company by company and can tell you which combination your business needs.

The Role

Chief Operating Officer

The COO is the CEO's operating counterpart, accountable for how the plan turns into performance across every site, team, and system. We place COOs who have carried that accountability through conditions like yours, whether that means rapid growth, an integration, or a turnaround.

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A sample of our work in this area

The Role

General Manager

In carve-outs, platform stand-ups, and new business units, the General Manager is often the hire that makes the entity real. We place GMs who have owned a full P&L before and know what the first eighteen months of building one demand.

Visit our President & General Manager page

A sample of our work in this area

The Role

Vice President Positions

Vice president searches in this function cover the widest ground. Whether the seat is supply chain, manufacturing, procurement, sourcing, or plant operations, these leaders own the daily machinery that protects margin and keeps commitments to customers. We place VPs who have run the function before, with results a board can check.

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A sample of our work in this area

Our clients

Companies trust ON Partners

Client Stories

What clients say after the search is closed

Entire team is fantastic.

Director, HRBP - Restaurant Support Center National Restaurant Group

Great process with strong communication. Candidates exceeded our expectations.

Chief Executive Officer Audience Intelligence Platform

Bailey continuously presented great candidates and candidates were extremely positive on the engagement with her.

Chief Revenue Officer Process Manufacturing Software

Found a good CFO in the end.

CEO & Co-Founder Sustainable Materials Company

Common Questions

What leaders may ask before a search

When does a portfolio company hire a COO instead of a President?

When operational complexity demands a peer to the CEO and the CEO needs runway to focus externally, hire a COO. When the business needs a clear succession plan or a P&L-accountable leader to scale a division, hire a President.

How long does a COO search take?

Our median COO search closes in 108 days. COO searches move faster when the brief is operationally specific (manufacturing, supply chain, services delivery) and slower when the role is defined as a generic.

What does a great GM hire look like for a PE carve-out?

Someone who has been a P&L owner in a comparable category, has lived through a carve-out or stand-up, and can operate without the support systems of a larger parent company.

What makes a great transformation leader?

Pattern recognition under pressure. The best transformation leaders have lived through more than one transformation (carve-outs, integrations, restructurings) and can move fast without breaking what shouldn't be broken.

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Hire the operator who runs the company you built.

A conversation is all it takes to know if we're the right fit. Tell us about the role, and we'll tell you what the market looks like. You'll speak directly with the partner who would lead your search.

85% of clients search with us again

4.9 / 5 client satisfaction rating

Partner-led from kickoff to close

98% placement rate

Operation leaders engineered for effciency

Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Operations
executive search