Professional Search for Business Operations talent.
J.Riley Recruitment recruits Business Operations professionals within Architecture/Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing, and Energy, bringing functional search capability into the industries where we already understand the market and operating environment.
The strongest Business Operations candidates fit both the function and the industry around it, including the company stage, systems, pace, stakeholders, and level of ownership.
Business Operations recruiting works best when functional expertise is evaluated in industry context.
The same title can represent very different responsibilities across A/E firms, contractors, manufacturers, and energy organizations.
An Operations Manager in a construction or field-services business may own people, scheduling, customer delivery, and process improvement, while the same title in a manufacturer may center on production flow, systems, metrics, and cross-functional coordination. Similar differences exist across finance, sales, procurement, HSE, marketing, and supply chain.
J.Riley works to understand the industry, what the function owns, how it interacts with the broader business, which systems and stakeholders matter, and what outcomes the hire is expected to drive before mapping the relevant talent market.
Functions we recruit across.
Our Business Operations practice spans the functions that support organizations within our Architecture/Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing, and Energy practices, including financial control, commercial growth, operational execution, workforce safety, procurement, customer communication, and the movement of goods and services.
The function changes with the industry.
Business Operations is not a standalone generalist practice at J.Riley. We recruit these functions inside the four markets we know because finance, sales, operations, procurement, HSE, and support roles are shaped by the business model, operating environment, and commercial realities around them.
Architecture/Engineering
In A/E firms, Business Operations often sits close to project economics and client pursuits. Finance may center on project accounting, WIP, billing, utilization, and backlog. Business development and marketing frequently support proposals, qualifications, pursuits, and long-term client relationships. Operations and administrative professionals help principals and project teams keep delivery moving.
View Architecture/Engineering practice 02Construction
In construction, the function is tied directly to project delivery and the field. Finance and accounting may revolve around job cost, WIP, billing, cash flow, and project controls. Procurement supports material, equipment, and subcontractor needs. HSE operates close to active work, while operations roles often bridge the office, project teams, customers, and jobsites.
View Construction practice 03Manufacturing
Manufacturing roles are shaped by production cadence and the physical flow of materials and product. Finance may involve plant performance, inventory, standard cost, and capital spending. Procurement and supply chain manage supplier performance and material availability. Operations leaders are measured through throughput, labor, service, and process performance, while commercial teams sell into specific customer, channel, or OEM environments.
View Manufacturing practice 04Energy
Energy Business Operations roles operate around technical assets, projects, field or service environments, and commercial risk. HSE carries direct operational consequence. Procurement and supply chain support equipment, materials, and service availability. Finance and operations may span projects, assets, or service lines, while business development and sales often require fluency in technical solutions, contracting, and long-cycle customer relationships.
View Energy practiceThe function only makes sense in the context of the business.
Business Operations titles become meaningful when they are viewed against the industry, reporting structure, company size, systems, stakeholders, operating pace, and the outcomes the role is expected to own.
Hiring Business Operations professionals?
Start a professional search conversation about the function, industry, business need, operating environment, and talent market behind the role.