A UK-based construction business seeks a hands-on, commercially driven interim CEO to lead a critical turnaround. The role combines frontline sales leadership, operational control, and financial stewardship. The successful candidate will rapidly rebuild sales, stabilise the leadership team, restore customer confidence, and create a clear path to sustainable profitability.

Key responsibilities

• Turnaround leadership — Own and deliver a clear, timebound turnaround plan to restore profitability.
• Sales and commercial growth — Lead from the front on business development: personally engage major clients, rebuild the sales function, and secure new contracts.
• Financial accountability — Restore financial discipline, manage cash and reduce reliance on group support.
• Team leadership and culture — Stabilise senior team, reduce turnover, coach and mentor direct reports. 
• Stakeholder management — Act as the visible face of the business to clients, suppliers, and regulators; provide clear, timely reporting to the Group.
• Health and safety and compliance — Ensure safe operations across sites and compliance with UK construction sector regulations.
• Recruitment and structure — Rebuild the team and recruit or replace key roles to deliver the plan.

Candidate profile and experience
Essential experience

• Proven track record of leading turnaround or rapid performance improvement in construction, infrastructure services, industrial services, plant hire or another relevant operationally intensive sector.
  • Strong frontline sales and commercial leadership experience, ideally with direct exposure to UK construction or civil engineering customers.
  • Hands-on site credibility, with the instinct to be close to operations rather than managing remotely.
  • Solid commercial and financial acumen; comfortable owning P&L and cash management in a capital-intensive business.
  • Demonstrable ability to lead difficult cultural and organisational change under pressure.
  • Experience in SME or mid-market environments where versatility, pace and personal ownership are essential.

Personal attributes

• • Resilient, decisive, and comfortable having tough conversations.
  • Highly visible, customer-facing, and sales-oriented.
  • Credible in a reputation-driven industry; able to win trust quickly.
  • Comfortable operating in a small, high-pressure team and reporting regularly to Group leadership.

Important fit criteria

• The client will not prioritise candidates whose experience has only been gained in large corporate environments.
• The ideal candidate is a doer - practical, visible, commercially hungry and used to the reality of smaller businesses.
• A remote leadership mindset will not fit this assignment; the role requires frequent field and site presence.