Operations Manager

Are you ready to step into a role where operational leadership genuinely matters?
This is a critical opportunity to take ownership of performance within a defined value stream in a complex, regulated manufacturing environment where standards, discipline and delivery are non-negotiable.

As an Operations Manager, you will lead one of the site’s core operational areas, working alongside four other Operations Managers and reporting into a Head of Operations. You will hold full accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People within your area, with direct responsibility for front-line leadership and day-to-day execution.

This role requires visible, hands-on leadership, structured thinking and the ability to stabilise and improve performance within an environment that has historically underperformed. It will suit an operational leader who understands regulated manufacturing and is comfortable operating one layer below “Head of” level, owning delivery rather than strategy alone.

What You Will Do:

• Take full accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People performance within your defined operational area.

• Lead, manage and develop Production Supervisors, Team Leaders and shop-floor teams, setting clear expectations and consistent standards.

• Drive operational performance against KPIs including OTIF, scrap, labour utilisation, arrears and customer quality concerns.

• Manage the effective utilisation of labour, equipment and manufacturing resources to achieve stable, repeatable output.

• Apply lean principles pragmatically to improve flow, reduce waste and reinforce operational discipline within a standardised environment.

• Own the operational interface with planning, quality, logistics and engineering support functions to ensure alignment and execution.

• Manage customer delivery and quality issues using structured problem-solving tools to deliver robust, sustainable solutions.

• Drive disciplined use of the ERP system (IFS preferred), ensuring clean production and inventory data across RM, WIP and FG.

• Lead housekeeping and 5S standards, ensuring a safe, compliant and well-controlled working environment.

• Define and deliver annual improvement plans aligned to wider operational and business objectives for your value stream.

What You Will Bring:

• Proven experience in Operations, Manufacturing or Production Management within a regulated or structured manufacturing environment.

• Experience within defence, armour systems, aerospace or similarly compliance-driven sectors is highly desirable.

• A strong understanding of the contractual, procedural and audit-driven nature of regulated manufacturing programmes.

• Experience applying lean principles to low-volume or batch manufacturing, with a focus on flow, pull and standardisation.

• Practical experience using ERP systems from a production and inventory control perspective (IFS advantageous).

• The ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, including GD&T.

• A track record of improving operational performance, raising standards and developing front-line teams.

• Eligibility to work in the UK and meet nationality and security requirements associated with UK Eyes Only defence programmes.

• British nationality is essential, with eligibility for SC clearance due to the nature of the work.

Candidates combining experience in regulated defence-led environments with practical flow improvement experience will be particularly well suited to this role.

As an Operations Manager, you will be trusted with real accountability for your area and expected to make a tangible difference. This is not a role for maintaining the status quo; it is for someone comfortable dealing with legacy issues, reinforcing structure and driving sustained operational improvement at the value stream level.

You will play a key role in strengthening performance within a growing defence assembly function, directly impacting delivery, customer confidence and long-term capability.

Location:

This role is based in Gloucester, within a well-established manufacturing site supporting critical defence programmes.

Interested?

If you are a hands-on operational leader looking for a role with clear ownership, visible impact and long-term opportunity, we would like to hear from you.

Apply today to take the next step in your career as an Operations Manager.

Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978. The services advertised by Jonathan Lee Recruitment are those of an Employment Agency.
In order for your CV to be processed effectively, please ensure your name, email address, phone number and location (post code OR town OR county, as a minimum) are included.

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