Executive Managing Director - Automotive Manufacturing

Executive Managing Director

On behalf of our client, we are seeking an Executive Managing Director to take full ownership of an established, privately held manufacturing business with a strong foothold in the automotive sector. This is a rare opportunity to assume complete operational leadership of a proven platform that is well-positioned for its next phase of growth.

The successful candidate will be granted real authority to define strategy, shape the leadership team, and refine how the business runs day to day. You will partner directly with an ownership group that is commercially astute and collaborative in approach, but who are ready to hand over operational responsibility to a leader capable of driving results with conviction.

Manufacturing and Site Performance

• Oversee capacity planning to ensure the operation is appropriately scaled for current demand and anticipated growth
• Lead continuous improvement programs targeting waste reduction, cycle time, and yield
• Take direct ownership of operational KPIs including quality, throughput, on-time delivery, and unit cost
• Manage supplier relationships to safeguard production reliability and meet cost objectives
• Champion the site's health and safety culture by setting the standard, monitoring adherence, and personally modeling expected behavior
• Walk the production floor regularly to maintain authentic visibility into operational realities

Direction Setting and Business Growth

• Develop and own the annual business plan, operating budget, and multi-year strategic outlook
• Track competitive movements and shifts in the automotive supply chain, adjusting positioning where needed
• Define the strategic direction of the business in conjunction with ownership, and translate it into a workable operating plan
• Pursue growth through deeper account penetration, new customer wins, and expansion into adjacent markets

P&L Ownership and Financial Stewardship

• Strengthen profitability by combining commercial discipline with operational efficiency gains
• Stay close to cost drivers and pricing dynamics across all areas of the business
• Take full P&L accountability across revenue, cost base, margin, working capital, and cash flow
• Spot warning signals in the financials early and act decisively before issues escalate
• Evaluate and approve capital expenditure proposals while prioritizing investment decisions
• Deliver accurate, timely, and transparent financial and operational reporting to ownership

Customer and Commercial Engagement

• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of new business opportunities, holding the commercial team to account on delivery
• Act as the senior commercial representative of the business with key automotive accounts
• Address escalated customer matters swiftly while protecting the long-term relationship
• Lead or directly support contract negotiations, renewals, and new business proposals
• Ensure customer satisfaction measures are consistently monitored, reviewed, and acted upon

Team Leadership and Organizational Culture

• Identify capability gaps and resolve them through development, recruitment, or organizational restructuring
• Foster a culture rooted in accountability, transparency, and high performance across the organization
• Lead and hold accountable a senior leadership team across operations, finance, commercial, and support functions
• Treat employee engagement and retention as genuine business priorities rather than HR-driven metrics
• Set clear performance standards for each direct report and conduct structured, regular performance discussions
• Align workforce planning with both current operational requirements and longer-term growth plans

Working with Ownership

• Maintain appropriate controls, compliance, and governance standards across the business
• Deliver regular business reviews to ownership covering financial results, operational performance, commercial pipeline, and strategic progress
• Serve as the primary liaison between the business and its ownership group
• Raise material risks early and present recommended actions, not simply issues