Back to jobs
New

Head of Operational Improvment

London, UK

Company Description: Systemiq is the system change company, working to accelerate the transition to a net-zero, nature-positive and more inclusive economy. As a certified B Corp, we partner with business, finance, policymakers and civil society to transform five interconnected systems: energy, nature and food, materials and circularity, sustainable finance, and urban transformation.

We bring together strategy, policy, market design and capital mobilisation to deliver tangible results in the real economy. Founded in 2016, Systemiq has grown to a global team of more than 300 people across Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, the Netherlands, the UK and the US, united by a singular focus on sustainability.

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.

Diversity & Inclusion
At Systemiq, we absolutely believe diverse perspectives are essential to driving system change. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where people feel respected, supported and able to do their best work.

Click here to view our Data Policy.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Systemiq? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - UK

We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team. By completing this questionnaire, you are helping us strengthen our commitment to representation, equity, and inclusion.

Please note that your participation is entirely voluntary, strictly anonymous, and completely confidential. The information you provide will never be linked to your identity and will be used only in aggregate for reporting and improvement purposes.

Most importantly, your responses will in no way influence or affect your application, candidacy, or future opportunities with us. This questionnaire is designed solely to help us build fairer, more inclusive processes and has no bearing on hiring decisions

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Systemiq’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.