Chief Operating Officer - Heavy Equipment

About the role

A well-established, rapidly growing heavy equipment dealership serving construction, infrastructure and industrial markets is looking for a Chief Operating Officer. The COO sits on the executive leadership team and turns the CEO's strategic vision into day-to-day operations, overseeing sales, rental, service, parts, logistics and fleet management across multiple locations. The role partners with the CEO on expansion, OEM negotiations and post-acquisition integration.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with growth objectives and the CEO's vision
• Oversee daily dealership operations, including Parts and Service Departments, to maximize productivity, utilization and customer satisfaction
• Implement policies, procedures and automation tools (e.g. ERP, WMS) to streamline workflows
• Recruit, develop and motivate teams across sales, rental, service and branch management
• Lead equipment sales, rentals, logistics, maintenance and fleet operations across locations
• Manage the full lifecycle of heavy equipment, including new and used acquisitions, fleet rotation and rental purchase options (RPO)
• Manage operating budgets, capital expenditure plans and revenue forecasts, and oversee P&L performance and gross margin targets
• Support expansion into new markets, OEM relationship management and integration of acquired businesses
• Build executive-level relationships with key customers, OEMs and suppliers
• Track KPIs such as MTTR, right first time, equipment utilization and technician efficiency

Required profile

• 10-15+ years of progressive leadership experience in heavy equipment, construction machinery or industrial distribution
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering or a related field; MBA strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of dealership operations, rental fleets, depreciation strategies, RPO programs and safety compliance
• Proven success leading geographically dispersed teams and building a high-performance culture

Required skills

• Exceptional communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills
• Strong financial and operational analytics skills with a track record of data-driven improvements

What we offer

• Salary of $200,000-$300,000 per year with performance-based incentives
• Health, dental and vision benefits, retirement plan with company contribution
• Vehicle allowance or company vehicle (as applicable)
• Executive-level autonomy and influence in a growing organization