COO / Head of R&D

Location:

Emilia Romagna, Italy

Salary:

Negotiable

Type:

Permanent

Main Industry:

Search Manufacturing Jobs

Other Industries & Skills:

Consultancy

Advertiser:

NonStop Consulting

Job ID:

132901505

Posted On:

20 April 2026

COO / Head of R&D

I am leading the search for a COO / Head of R&D on behalf of an international MedTech scale-up operating in the cardiovascular space and backed by major investment funds. The company has developed a revolutionary technology and is entering a decisive phase of final product readiness and global market entry.

The Challenge: We are not looking for a strategic consultant, but for an operational leader and a “Technical Authority” capable of taking full ownership of the product. The mission is to stabilize technical execution, manage the complexity of external engineering partners, and drive scalability toward clinical and commercial milestones.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Ownership: Take full responsibility for the system (electro-mechanical/hardware), ensuring clinical requirements are translated into stable, certified technical specifications (MDR/FDA).
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External Supplier Governance: Direct and challenge external engineering partners, ensuring accountability, adherence to timelines, and resolution of operational bottlenecks.
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Operational Build-out (Italy): Strategically and operationally lead the creation of a new technological hub in Italy, acting as a bridge to the HQ in the Netherlands.
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Scale-up Leadership: Build and protect a multidisciplinary internal team, optimizing R&D processes within an “asset-light” environment.

Ideal Profile:

Solid experience leading R&D operations for complex hardware medical devices (Class IIb/III), ideally within the cardiovascular or blood-management sectors.
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“Hands-on” Mindset: Ability to intervene directly in technical and supply details; pragmatic, structured, and execution-oriented.
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Proven experience managing outsourced development models and international partners.
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Entrepreneurial approach, comfortable in venture-backed environments where speed and precision are fundamental.

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