Chief Executive Officer (Iowa)

This is a confidential search for a Chief Executive Officer to lead a metals manufacturing business with annual revenues of approximately $200m.

The business operates across multiple manufacturing sites and serves industrial customers in demanding, high-specification markets. Following continued investment and a focus on value creation, the Board and investors are seeking an experienced CEO with deep operational expertise to drive the next phase of performance improvement, growth, and EBITDA expansion. Due to the sensitivity of the mandate, full details will only be shared under NDA.

The Opportunity

This is a hands‑on CEO role with a strong operational focus. The incoming leader will be expected to take full ownership of business performance, working closely with the private equity investors and executive team to deliver a step‑change in efficiency, profitability, and scalability.

You will be responsible for shaping and executing a clear value creation strategy, with a particular emphasis on operational excellence and manufacturing performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Full P&L responsibility for a multi-site metals manufacturing business
• Drive operational performance, efficiency, and productivity improvements across all sites
• Deliver sustained EBITDA growth through cost optimisation, yield improvement, and process efficiency
• Lead transformation initiatives across manufacturing, supply chain, and commercial interfaces
• Strengthen operational discipline, KPIs, and performance management frameworks
• Enhance throughput, capacity utilisation, and service levels to support revenue growth
• Lead and develop a senior leadership team across operations, commercial, and functional areas
• Partner closely with private equity stakeholders on strategy, reporting, and value creation planning
• Embed a high-performance, continuous improvement culture across the organisation

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be an experienced CEO, COO, or senior operations leader with a strong track record in heavy manufacturing environments.

You will bring:

• Proven leadership experience at CEO, COO, or equivalent senior executive level
• Deep background in heavy metal manufacturing
• Strong track record of delivering EBITDA improvement and operational transformation
• Experience leading multi-site, complex manufacturing operations
• Demonstrable success in driving efficiency, productivity, and margin improvement
• Strong understanding of Lean, CI, and operational excellence methodologies
• Commercially astute with a strong grasp of value creation in PE-backed environments
• Experience working with private equity investors (highly desirable)
• Hands‑on leadership style with the ability to operate at both strategic and operational levels

Additional Information

• This is a confidential mandate
• Full business details will only be shared following execution of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• The role is being managed on behalf of a private equity investor group
• Competitive executive package aligned to experience and value creation impact