Operations Manager

Job Title : Operations Manager

Location: Pickering, North Yorkshire

Salary: Competitive

The Company:

Theo James Recruitment is partnering with an established, high-volume manufacturing business to recruit an experienced Operations Manager for its site in Pickering. Employing approximately 490 people, the site is a substantial and complex manufacturing operation incorporating injection moulding, painting and assembly alongside automated and semi-automated production equipment. This is a senior leadership appointment offering significant responsibility for the performance of the manufacturing operation, its people and the continued development of operational standards across the site. For an experienced Operations Manager who enjoys being visible on the shop floor, developing people and driving measurable improvements, this is an opportunity to make a genuine impact within a large-scale manufacturing environment.

Job Description:

Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Operations Manager will take responsibility for leading and optimising day-to-day manufacturing operations across a multi-shift production environment.

You will provide visible and decisive leadership across the production organisation, ensuring people, processes, equipment and materials are effectively coordinated to deliver against Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People (SQDCP) objectives.

Working closely with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Logistics, HR and other support functions, you will play a key role in creating a culture centred around operational excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the day-to-day manufacturing operation across injection moulding, painting and assembly
• Leading and developing Production Managers, Supervisors and the wider operational leadership team
• Ensuring production plans are achieved against customer demand and agreed schedules
• Establishing clear operational priorities and maintaining consistent standards across all shifts
• Driving performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost and people
• Monitoring manufacturing performance and taking decisive corrective action where targets are at risk
• Driving improvements in OEE, labour productivity, downtime, scrap, rework and manufacturing efficiency
• Developing and maintaining effective KPIs and visual management systems
• Analysing production losses and leading structured problem-solving activity
• Identifying and delivering cost-reduction and productivity initiatives
• Championing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Improving production flow, line balance, standard work and changeovers
• Developing the capability, performance and accountability of the production leadership team
• Creating a strong pipeline of operational talent and supporting succession planning
• Maintaining a visible leadership presence throughout the manufacturing operation
• Working cross-functionally to resolve operational issues and protect customer delivery
• Ensuring improvements are embedded, standardised and sustained across all shifts

Skills Required:

We are looking for an accomplished manufacturing leader with experience operating at scale in a complex, high-volume production environment.

• Tier 1 automotive manufacturing experience
• Extensive injection moulding experience and knowledge. 
• Proven experience leading and developing large production teams
• Experience managing multiple manufacturing processes and production areas
• Strong understanding of production planning, manufacturing KPIs and performance management
• Demonstrable experience improving productivity, quality and delivery performance
• Experience working within a multi-shift manufacturing operation
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and structured problem solving

Why Join?

Scale – Take a senior leadership position within a substantial manufacturing operation employing approximately 490 people.

Ownership – Take responsibility for operational performance across a complex, multi-process manufacturing environment.

Impact – Have a direct influence on safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost and overall manufacturing performance.

Leadership – Lead and develop a sizeable production organisation while strengthening capability and accountability throughout the operational leadership team.

Continuous Improvement – Play a central role in improving OEE, productivity, manufacturing efficiency, waste and operational standards.

Variety – Work across multiple manufacturing processes, including injection moulding, painting, assembly and automated production equipment.