Blackburn/Burnley area
£65,000 - £75,000
38 hours per week
I’m working with an established, tight-knit engineering business where people know each other, the environment is supportive, and the leadership team genuinely wants this person to make a difference.
The business has a strong history going back almost 100 years and have an incredibly strong Production and R&D team, positioning them to be able to provide bespoke solutions for their global customer base.
We are looking for the Operations Manager to add value in developing structure, better planning visibility and apply their knowledge of what good looks like in a strong engineering or manufacturing environment.
They have a strong team underneath this position and there are multiple examples throughout the business of long-term service – a testament to how people are treated and developed in their positions here.
A big aspect of this role will be in getting to know the team, understanding how things work now, building trust on the shop floor and then helping the business move forward in a practical, sensible way.
The role
* You’ll lead operations across manufacturing, assembly, supply chain, production planning and quality engineering.
* The position has four direct reports across manufacturing, supply chain and assembly and you’ll work alongside an experienced Engineering Manager.
* Improving capacity planning.
* The business works on bespoke, low-volume, high-value, project-led engineering work, so priorities can change, workloads can build quickly and there are often several moving parts to manage at once. They need somebody who can bring more visibility, better control and clearer planning across the operation.
* There is also a new planning or management information system to be introduced, either as a standalone planning tool or as a bolt-on to ERP. You’ll be involved in helping the business implement the systems and embed into the organisation.
* The product has to be right first time.
* Most of what the business does is bespoke, so mistakes are expensive. Quality, planning and communication are all top priorities. The right person will understand that and will help create the processes and behaviours that make right-first-time delivery more consistent.
* You’ll be leading the operational team day to day, improving planning, supporting the direct reports and helping the business become more structured.
* Review how work flows through manufacturing and assembly.
* You’ll support supply chain and planning, ensuring they work closely with production and engineering.
* Making sure the business has a clearer view of capacity, workload, bottlenecks and priorities.
* You’ll be involved in operational budgeting and continuous improvement.
* You will need to be curious, not just accept the first answer to a problem, but dig into the detail, understand the root cause and helps fix things properly.
Experience required
* This role requires someone with an engineering or project-driven manufacturing background.
* You will have worked as an Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Production Manager, Head of Operations or similar, experienced in a role where you have a bigger impact.
* You’ll need to be comfortable on the shop floor and credible with people who know their jobs well.
* You’ll also need enough resilience to handle change properly. There is a mix of personalities in the team and you will need to bring people with you, develop them, have the team on board for changes you will implement.
The person
* Hands-on, visible and approachable.
* Strong enough to drive change, while maintaining good relationships with the team.
* Experienced in engineering or manufacturing operations.
* Strong on capacity planning and managing multiple live projects.
* Comfortable with manufacturing, assembly, supply chain, and planning.
* Able to develop people and improve performance.
* Commercially aware, with experience around budgets, cost control and operational improvement.
* Focused on quality, delivery and right-first-time performance.
* Interested in making a real difference rather than simply maintaining what is already there.
Package Info
Salary of £65,000 - £75,000
38 hours per week
Flexible working patterns, 25 days holiday, further package info available.
Get in touch
This is your opportunity to shape an operation that is already in a good place, but ready for the next step – apply your knowledge of what good looks like and really make it your own.
I will be reviewing all applications and shortlisting successful applications for and initial screening call where we will discuss the role, business and your experience in more detail.
Don’t hesitate to get on touch, apply below and I will be in touch to arrange the initial conversation.
Neil
Salary description
£65000.00 - £75000.00 per year