As Global Head of Research & Leadership Advisory at JRG Partners, I prepared this practical guide on how to hire a COO for a Building Products company. In a sector that is a cyclical industry where housing and construction demand, the COO carries the operational weight of the transformation, and the profile that succeeds is a manufacturing leader who can flex capacity through housing cycles while executing the modernization and product transitions sustainability requirements demand.
Key Takeaways: Hiring a Building Products COO in 2026
- The winning COO profile is a manufacturing leader who can flex capacity through housing cycles while executing the modernization and product transitions sustainability.
- Define the COO’s scope precisely; the role varies more than any other C-suite title.
- Operational credibility plus transformation capability is the combination the sector now demands.
- The best candidates are employed operators who must be recruited discreetly.
- Clarify the CEO-COO division of labor before the search, not after.
Defining the Building Products COO Role
Before searching, define the scope precisely: which functions, sites, and P&L elements report to the COO, and how authority divides with the CEO. In Building Products, the role typically owns the operational core of the transformation, and ambiguity here is the most common cause of failed COO hires.
What to Look For in a Building Products COO
The profile that succeeds is a manufacturing leader who can flex capacity through housing cycles while executing the modernization and product transitions sustainability requirements demand. Boards and CEOs should probe for cyclical manufacturing and capacity management; product innovation aligned to sustainability and codes; multi-channel commercial leadership across pro and retail; capital-project and footprint management.
Where Building Products COOs Come From
Strong candidates emerge from building-products manufacturers (operations and product depth); construction and distribution (channel and commercial perspective); consumer-products companies (brand and channel leadership), and increasingly from adjacent sectors where the transformation capabilities were developed earlier.
Assessing and Closing the Building Products COO
Assess against operational results verifiable by reference, transformation delivery with measured outcomes, and the specific sector markers above. Anchor to scope and market rather than history, pre-approve the range so decisions never wait on a committee. The CEO-COO relationship is the hire’s foundation, so structured time between the CEO and finalists is essential, not optional.
For the broader sourcing and process discipline, see our guide to executive search in Building Products.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What does a Building Products COO do?
- A: The role owns the operational core of the business, a manufacturing leader who can flex capacity through housing cycles while executing the modernization and product transi, though exact scope varies by company and should be defined precisely before hiring.
- Q: What background should a Building Products COO have?
- A: Operational leadership at comparable scale plus transformation-delivery experience; the strongest candidates pair deep sector operations with capabilities the transition demands.
- Q: How does the COO role differ from the CEO in Building Products?
- A: The COO owns operational execution while the CEO owns strategy, capital, and external stakeholders; the division should be explicit before the search begins.
- Q: How long does a Building Products COO search take?
- A: Typically three to five months for a retained search, depending on scope specificity and the candidate pool’s depth.
Related Building Products Resources
See also Building Products executive search guide, Building Products top 10 in-demand roles, Building Products executive compensation report.
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Tanya Gallardo
Managing Director, Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy
Tanya Gallardo is the Managing Director of Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy at JRG Partners, leading C-suite and Board engagements across key growth sectors including Technology, Financial Services, and Manufacturing.
With over 18 years of experience specializing in disruptive technology leadership, Tanya is recognized as a leading authority on talent architecture for future-focused executive roles, such as the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) and Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Her expertise lies in accurately assessing the cultural fit and technical depth required to ensure a high return on investment (ROI) for critical leadership appointments.
Prior to her role at JRG Partners, Tanya held senior roles directing global talent acquisition strategies at a major publicly-traded technology firm, advising on organizational design and succession planning for emerging executive functions. She is a recognized speaker and contributor to industry events, sharing data-driven insights on executive compensation, leadership development, and the measurable business impact of C-suite talent.
