Sector: Major UK construction and infrastructure projects / Operational rental

Business size: SME / lower mid-market

Overview
A UK-based specialist operational services business requires a hands-on Turnaround Managing Director to stabilise performance, rebuild commercial momentum and restore operational discipline.
The business operates in a challenging market and requires visible, practical leadership. This is not a remote or purely strategic role. The successful candidate will be expected to spend significant time with customers, teams and operational sites, driving standards, activity levels and accountability directly.
The immediate priorities are to rebuild sales momentum, improve asset utilisation, strengthen operational control, restore confidence across the team and create a clear route back to sustainable profitability.

Key responsibilities
• Take day-to-day leadership of a distressed SME operating environment
• Develop and execute a short, practical turnaround plan
• Lead from the front on commercial activity, customer engagement and sales discipline
• Rebuild confidence with existing customers and secure new opportunities
• Improve operational standards, site discipline, service quality and productivity
• Review team capability and make necessary changes to structure, roles and accountability
• Coach and mentor current director
• Strengthen financial control, cost discipline, cash focus and margin management
• Provide clear, regular reporting to group leadership
• Ensure safe, compliant and well-controlled operations across all locations

Candidate profile
• Current or recent MD, Regional Director, Operations Director or Commercial Director with strong general management capability
• Proven track record in operationally intensive SME or mid-market environments
• Strong frontline commercial background, ideally in asset-led services, rental, infrastructure support, industrial services, construction-related services, plant, access, logistics or similar
• Comfortable being highly visible in the field, on sites and with customers
• Able to diagnose operational issues quickly and act decisively
• Strong people leadership skills, including the ability to rebuild teams and address underperformance
• Commercially sharp, resilient and pragmatic
• Financially literate, with experience owning revenue, margin, cost and cash performance
• Credible with customers, operational teams and senior stakeholders
• Open to a permanent role if the fit is right after an initial interim period

Important fit criteria
• This role requires a doer, not a detached strategist
• Candidates must be comfortable operating close to the detail
• Recent hands-on operational leadership is more important than historic senior titles
• The business needs energy, pace, discipline and visible leadership
• Experience in smaller, pressured environments is highly relevant
• Candidates whose recent experience is mainly advisory, corporate or remote leadership are unlikely to fit

Ideal background
The strongest candidates are likely to come from asset-led, operationally intensive B2B environments where commercial activity, utilisation, service delivery, site standards and customer relationships directly drive profitability.

• Existing relationships with Tier 1 contractors
• Experience selling into major construction and infrastructure projects