Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Executive entry position as Chief Project Officer
Based in Belgium | European scope | Executive-level career path
ABN Cleanroom Technology is growing rapidly — in scale, complexity and geographical reach. To support that growth, we are looking for an experienced leader who will join us as Chief Project Officer, take full ownership of our international project organisation and grow into the role of Chief Operating Officer.
From day one, you will join the management team and report directly to the CEO. You will initially lead the project organisation as Chief Project Officer, with a clear path towards broader operational responsibility as Chief Operating Officer.
This is an opportunity to help lead and scale an ambitious international business.
Your challenge
As Chief Project Officer, you will lead our complete project portfolio in the Benelux and across Europe. You will manage three direct reports and take responsibility for a multidisciplinary project organisation of approximately 15 employees across BIM, work preparation, project management, site management, automation and part of the validation activities. You will create the structure, standards and leadership needed to support continued growth.
You will get to know our customers, markets and ADAPTUS platform (our modular platform for standardised, scalable cleanroom solutions) inside out.
Your responsibilities include:
- You hold ultimate responsibility for projects, from design and execution through to delivery.
- You lead, coach and develop three direct reports and the wider multidisciplinary project organisation of approximately 15 employees.
- You act as a technical sparring partner for complex HVAC and cleanroom challenges.
- You monitor margins, planning, quality and performance across the project portfolio.
- You build and manage reliable subcontractor networks throughout Europe.
- You drive standardisation and process optimisation through the ADAPTUS platform.
- Translating our European ambitions into a scalable project organisation
Once you have demonstrated clear leadership, organisational impact and operational excellence, your responsibilities will expand to Chief Operating Officer.
As COO, you will take responsibility for a broader operational organisation of approximately 22 employees on the ABN payroll, complemented by an extensive network of subcontractors responsible for project execution. Your scope will include projects and service, including maintenance, validation and operational customer support. You will develop service into a profitable activity within our Cleanroom-as-a-Service strategy and connect projects and service into one seamless customer lifecycle.
The transition to Chief Operating Officer is based on demonstrated leadership, organisational impact and operational excellence. For the right candidate, this progression is expected within approximately six to eighteen months.
What do you bring to the table?
You combine strong leadership skills with genuine technical depth.
HVAC holds no secrets for you. You understand air handling, pressure cascades, cooling loads and control technology well enough to challenge BIM specialists, work preparation teams, project managers, site managers, automation experts, validation specialists and subcontractors on content.
You also bring:
- At least ten years of experience in complex technical projects at customer sites
- Several years of experience in a senior leadership role
- Experience managing managers and multidisciplinary technical teams, rather than only operational teams
- Proven greenfield experience in another European country
- Hands-on experience sourcing, contracting and managing local subcontractors abroad
- A technical master’s degree or equivalent experience
- Fluency in Dutch and English; French or German is an advantage
- A structural willingness to travel across Europe
- An entrepreneurial, hands-on and highly result-driven mindset
Experience in cleanrooms, pharmaceuticals, biotech, laboratories, food production or high-tech environments is a strong asset. Above all, you are a builder. You do not wait for the perfect structure — you create it.
What We Offer
This is a rare opportunity to step directly into an executive-level career path: entering as Chief Project Officer, with a clear and credible progression towards Chief Operating Officer.
At ABN Cleanroom Technology, you will not simply inherit an existing organisation. You will help shape its next chapter.
You can count on:
- A seat at the management table from day one
- Full ownership of an international, multidisciplinary project organisation of approximately 15 employees
- A concrete opportunity to progress into the COO role and lead an operational organisation of approximately 22 employees, complemented by a broad subcontractor network
- Direct access to the CEO and short decision-making lines
- The freedom to build structures, teams and processes that last
- Trust instead of time tracking
- The entrepreneurial spirit of a family-owned company
- The scale and ambition of an internationally growing organisation
- The opportunity to work with the innovative ADAPTUS platform
- A hands-on culture where ideas are quickly turned into action.
- A hands-on culture where ideas quickly turn into action
- A competitive remuneration package with a bonus based on performance
- A company car
- Hospitalisation and group insurance
- A thirteenth-month payment
- Eco vouchers and a mobile phone
In other words: plenty of responsibility, real influence and no shortage of interesting challenges.
