Secondary Operations Manager

The Secondary Operations Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating all

secondary manufacturing activities, ensuring that grinding, process operations, and special

products are delivered safely, on time, to quality standards, and in line with production

priorities. The role combines hands-on leadership with planning, problem-solving, and

continuous improvement in a medium manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & People Management

· Lead, supervise, and motivate the Secondary Operations team, including Grinding and

Special Products.

· Allocate labour and resources to meet daily and weekly production plans.

· Provide on-the-job training, mentoring, and support to operators.

· Conduct performance reviews and support skills development and cross-training.

· Promote a positive, disciplined, and safety-focused working culture.

Production & Planning

· Execute the production plan for secondary operations in line with customer requirements

and production schedules.

· Coordinate closely with the Production Manager and other team leaders to manage

priorities and workflow.

· Monitor output, efficiency, and downtime, taking corrective action where required.

· Ensure smooth handover between primary manufacturing and secondary operations.

Quality & Process Control

· Ensure all secondary operations meet internal and customer quality standards.

· Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for non-conformances.

· Ensure process controls, work instructions, and inspection checks are followed.

· Work closely with Quality and Engineering on new or special product requirements.

Health, Safety & Housekeeping

· Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and environmental requirements.

· Carry out risk assessments and ensure safe working practices are followed.

· Maintain high standards of housekeeping and 5S within the department.

Continuous Improvement

· Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, and cost within secondary operations.

· Support lean manufacturing initiatives and waste reduction activities.

· Contribute to process standardisation and best practice sharing.

Key Skills & Experience

Essential

· Previous supervisory or team leader experience in a manufacturing environment.

· Strong understanding of secondary manufacturing processes (grinding, finishing, or

similar).

· Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications.

· Good problem-solving and decision-making skills.

· Strong communication skills, able to lead a small team effectively.

· Comfortable working in a hands-on leadership role.

Desirable

· Knowledge of special or low-volume product manufacturing.

· Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement experience.

· Basic understanding of quality systems (ISO 9001 or similar).

Qualifications

· Engineering or manufacturing-related qualification (desirable).

· Health & Safety or supervisory training (advantageous but not essential).

If you feel this role is for you please reach out to myself at Blue Arrow !

Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people