Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer at Havana Group

The Havana Group of Companies is seeking an experienced and commercially minded Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join our executive leadership team. The COO will be responsible for driving operational excellence across the Group, translating strategic priorities into effective execution, and ensuring that our businesses, teams, systems, and processes operate with clarity, accountability, and consistency. This is a senior leadership position for an accomplished operator who understands how to build structure within growing businesses, lead high-performing teams, improve operational performance, and turn business strategy into measurable results. Working closely with the CEO and senior leadership team, the COO will provide the leadership, systems, and operational discipline required to support the Group's continued expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Executive Leadership:

• Work closely with the CEO and executive leadership team to translate the Group's strategic objectives into actionable operational plans.
• Lead the execution of company-wide initiatives and ensure alignment across business units and departments.
• Provide senior leadership with operational insights, recommendations, and performance reports to support informed decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to improve business performance, efficiency, profitability, and scalability.
• Support the development and execution of the Group's short- and long-term growth strategy.

Operations and Business Performance:

• Oversee day-to-day operations across the Group and ensure effective coordination between departments and business units.
• Establish clear operational standards, processes, workflows, and accountability structures.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure departmental and business performance.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement practical solutions to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Ensure that company resources are effectively utilized and operational objectives are consistently achieved.
• Drive a culture of ownership, accountability, performance, and continuous improvement.

People and Leadership:

• Provide leadership and direction to department heads and senior managers.
• Establish clear expectations, performance standards, and accountability mechanisms across the organization.
• Work with HR and department leaders to strengthen organizational structure, talent development, performance management, and employee productivity.
• Build and maintain a high-performance leadership culture.
• Develop capable leaders who can independently manage and scale their functions.

Systems, Processes and Governance:

• Evaluate existing business processes and implement systems that support efficiency, transparency, and scalability.
• Establish appropriate operational controls, reporting structures, and approval processes.
• Ensure that departments operate according to established policies, procedures, and business standards.
• Drive the adoption of technology and automation where it can improve operational efficiency.
• Maintain strong cross-functional communication and ensure effective information flow throughout the organization.

Financial and Commercial Oversight:

• Work closely with the CEO and Finance team to monitor operational budgets, costs, revenue performance, and resource allocation.
• Support initiatives aimed at improving profitability and business sustainability.
• Monitor commercial performance across relevant business units and identify opportunities for growth.
• Ensure operational decisions are aligned with the Group's financial and strategic objectives.

Growth and Expansion:

• Support the Group's expansion into new markets, products, and business opportunities.

• Assess operational requirements for new initiatives and ensure appropriate structures are in place for successful execution.

• Build scalable systems capable of supporting the organization's growth.

• Establish strategic partnerships and relationships where necessary to support business objectives.

• What We Are Looking For

We are looking for an executive who combines strategic thinking with strong execution ability. The ideal candidate will have:

• A Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
• An MBA or relevant advanced qualification is an advantage.
• 8+ years of progressive management and leadership experience, with significant experience in senior operational, general management, or executive roles.
• Proven experience managing operations across multiple departments, teams, or business units.
• Demonstrated experience scaling or restructuring a growing organization.
• Strong commercial and business acumen with an understanding of revenue, costs, profitability, and growth.
• A strong track record of implementing systems, processes, and performance structures.
• Experience managing and developing senior managers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Strong project and execution management capabilities.
• The ability to make sound decisions, prioritize effectively, and operate in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of organizational governance, risk management, and operational controls.
• High levels of integrity, discretion, professionalism, and accountability.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to play a key leadership role in a growing and diversified business group.
• Direct exposure to executive-level strategy and decision-making.
• Significant scope to shape systems, processes, teams, and operational culture.
• Competitive executive compensation and benefits.
• Performance-based growth opportunities.
• A high-impact leadership environment with the opportunity to build and scale.