Chief Production Officer

Role Mission

Ensure continuous, efficient, and high-quality operations across all production processes of the plant, scale up production from 70 to 600+ employees, maintain compliance with safety, quality, and environmental standards, and support the company’s strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Production Management

• Develop and implement the production strategy aligned with the CEO and company goals.
• Lead the scale-up of production in a short timeframe (from 70 to 800 employees).
• Oversee all production units: planning, engineering, quality, maintenance, and infrastructure.
• Ensure smooth coordination of shift operations and production areas.

2. Operational Excellence

• Implement LEAN, Six Sigma, Kaizen methodologies to improve efficiency.
• Optimize production costs and increase profitability.
• Monitor and manage key performance indicators (OEE, yield, scrap, downtime).
• Collaborate with the Supply Chain Director on supply and warehouse operations.

3. Quality, Safety & Environment

• Ensure compliance with HSE (Health, Safety & Environment), ISO, and industry certifications.
• Lead workplace safety, fire protection, and industrial safety programs.
• Oversee preparation for and successful completion of external audits and inspections.

4. Leadership & People Development

• Lead production managers (Shift Managers, Quality, Maintenance, Planning).
• Build a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Develop talent within the team: coaching, training, and preparing future shift and line leaders.
• Work closely with HR on recruitment, onboarding, and staff development.

5. Stakeholder Management

• Partner directly with the CEO and collaborate with other functional heads (Supply Chain, Finance, HR, IT).
• Report production results to the executive team and shareholders.
• Engage with suppliers, equipment providers, and regulatory authorities.

Candidate Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in production management, at least 5 years in senior leadership roles (Production Director/Plant Manager/CPO) or as a deputy of CPO.
• Proven experience in scaling up production and managing multi-shift teams.
• Strong track record of implementing LEAN, Six Sigma, TPM, Kaizen.
• Deep understanding of production processes, logistics, quality, and maintenance.
• Experience with audits, ISO certifications, and HSE compliance.
• Analytical mindset and strong decision-making skills.
• Languages: English (B2–C1 required), Danish (strong advantage).

Values & Cultural Fit

• Lead by Example – sets the tone and drives a culture of accountability.
• Safety First – prioritizes employee safety over speed or volume.
• Discipline & Quality – ensures stable processes and commitment to high standards.
• Transparency & Teamwork – fosters open communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Continuous Improvement – embraces innovation and drives operational excellence.
• Resilience & Strategic Vision – capable of leading through rapid scale-up.

Key Results (First 12 Months)

• Production Launch: First two products successfully manufactured and delivered by December 2025.
• Capacity Building: Production lines scaled to reach a sustainable output of 200 units per month by the end of the first year.
• Workforce Expansion: Recruitment, onboarding, and training of the full production workforce (60+ employees monthly in year one) with readiness to scale further.
• Operational Excellence: Achieve >90% OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) across key production lines.
• Quality & Scrap Reduction: Maintain product quality with First Pass Yield >95% and reduce scrap rate below 3%.
• Compliance & Audits: Pass all external audits (ISO, HSE, industry certifications) with no major findings.
• Continuous Improvement: Implement LEAN and Kaizen programs with at least 3 major process improvements rolled out across production lines.

Leadership Development: Establish a strong shift management team and build a leadership pipeline for future supervisors and line managers.