2 Cheap Cars is one of New Zealand’s best-known used vehicle retailers, operating a multi-site, vertically integrated model that spans vehicle sourcing, logistics, compliance and preparation, sales operations, finance and customer experience.
Founder-led and publicly listed, the business has been built through practical decision-making, operational discipline and staying close to the detail. It operates at volume, in a regulated environment, where consistency, judgement and follow-through matter more than layers of process.
With strong foundations in place, the focus is now on sharpening how the business runs - ensuring operating rhythm is clear, standards are consistent, and performance is predictable across the national footprint.
The Opportunity
2 Cheap Cars is appointing a Chief Operating Officer to take primary ownership of operational execution across the Group.
Reporting directly to the Founder CEO, the COO will absorb day-to-day operational complexity, providing experienced leadership across sites and functions while partnering closely with the CEO, CFO and Board. This role has been created to strengthen consistency, lift coordination, and ensure strategic priorities translate into clear, practical outcomes.
This is a hands-on, execution-first COO role. It will suit an experienced operator who enjoys being close to the business, setting clear expectations, and helping a complex organisation run smoothly and effectively.
What you’ll own
- Lead end-to-end operational performance across the Group’s national footprint
- Establishing and maintaining consistent operating standards, accountability and rhythm across sites
- Leading General Managers and national / functional leaders with clarity and fairness
- Working with the CFO to support commercially sound operational decision-making
- Managing operational risk across regulatory compliance, customer outcomes and brand integrity
- Acting as the CEO’s senior operational partner, ensuring focus, follow-through and reduced operational load
At its core, this role is about judgement, prioritisation and consistency - ensuring the business operates calmly, predictably and well.
About You
You are a senior operational leader who has built credibility through delivery rather than noise. You value clarity, accountability and respect for the people who deliver results on the ground, and you take pride in helping businesses operate at their best.
Your leadership style is practical, grounded and visible. You are comfortable making decisions, staying close to the detail when required, and leading across frontline, senior leadership and governance contexts.
You’ll likely bring:
- Senior operational leadership experience within a complex, multi-site organisation
- Strong commercial judgement and comfort operating in high-volume environments
- Experience working effectively in founder-led or tightly run businesses
- The credibility to engage across frontline teams, senior leaders and governance
- Exposure to listed or disciplined operating environments (advantageous)
What’s On Offer?
This is a senior leadership role with genuine authority and accountability, offering close partnership with an experienced Founder CEO and an engaged Board. You’ll have real influence over how a nationally recognised business operates day to day, with the scope to shape operating rhythm, standards and outcomes across the organisation.
2 Cheap Cars is a stable, established business with a long-term outlook. The environment is one of trust and autonomy, where experience, judgement and follow-through carry weight. For the right person, this role offers meaningful responsibility, lasting impact, and the satisfaction of helping a complex business operate calmly, consistently and well.
If you’re an experienced operator who enjoys bringing clarity and consistency to complex environments, we’d like to talk. Please email [email protected] in the first instance to organise a confidential chat.
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