Head of Operational Improvment

Systemiq is sharing an opportunity for a Head of Operational Improvement with a leading tropical forest restoration organisation operating in West Africa.

Head of Operational Improvement (CEO Office)
Reports to: Co-CEO
Location: West Africa (Ghana / Sierra Leone) preferred; London considered
Travel: Frequent site travel required (minimum ~15 weeks/year if London-based)
Contract: Full-time, permanent — individual contributor role

About the Organisation

A large-scale tropical forest restoration company operating in West Africa, restoring degraded ecosystems through long-term, community-led projects.

With 2,000+ employees across multiple countries and thousands of hectares already restored, the organisation is now scaling rapidly towards 100,000+ hectares under management over the next three years.

Projects align with leading international standards (e.g. VERRA VCS, CCB), delivering measurable climate, biodiversity, and socioeconomic outcomes.

The Role

This role sits in the Co-CEO Office and exists for one reason: to make operations work at scale.

You will go into parts of the organisation where things are unclear, inconsistent, or breaking — figure out what’s actually going on, and fix it. That means building systems, driving adoption, and holding the line until they stick.

You are not tied to a function. You will move across the business — forest protection, restoration, livelihoods, ESG — focusing on the highest-priority problems at any given time.

This is not a strategy role in the abstract. It is a hands-on execution role:
diagnose → design → implement → embed → repeat

The goal is to replace reactive, project-by-project execution with systems that are repeatable, measurable, and owned.

There is no team to hide behind. Progress depends on your ability to cut through noise, build trust quickly, and deliver in messy, real-world conditions.

Key Responsibilities

• Find the real problems: Cut through reporting and surface what’s actually slowing execution down
• Build what’s missing: Design SOPs, workflows, and decision frameworks that teams can realistically use in the field
• Make it stick: Work side-by-side with teams to implement systems and drive adoption — not just design them
• Create accountability: Define KPIs, establish reporting rhythms, and ensure ownership is clear and followed through
• Upgrade how decisions get made: Introduce tools and processes that improve visibility and speed
• Act as an extension of the Co-CEO: Step into priority issues, unblock teams, and drive cross-functional execution
• Represent externally (over time): Engage with senior stakeholders (including government and partners) as a credible operator, not just a messenger

Success in 12–18 Months

• Core operational processes are no longer dependent on individuals — they run consistently across regions
• Leadership has a clear, real-time view of performance (and trusts the data)
• Teams spend less time dealing with recurring issues and more time executing against clear plans
• Accountability is visible and enforced, not assumed
• You are trusted to step into critical issues and represent leadership when needed

Who You Are

• 4–7 years in top-tier operational consulting or similarly demanding operational roles
• You’ve worked on real operational problems — not just slide decks — and have seen implementation through
• Strong structured thinker, but willing to get into the detail when needed
• Comfortable operating without clear answers or clean data
• Able to challenge senior stakeholders and still bring people with you
• Equally credible in the field and with leadership
• High ownership, low ego, and a bias for action
• Resilient — you don’t lose momentum when things get ambiguous or slow
• Willing to spend significant time on the ground
• Motivated by building something that has long-term environmental and social impact

Why This Role

You will be working directly on the hardest operational problems in a fast-scaling organisation — with visibility from the top and very little insulation.

If you want a clearly defined role with stable boundaries, this is not it.
If you want to build systems that actually get used, in a complex, real-world environment, it is.