James Walker SBU Operations Director

James Walker SBU Operations Director

Field based – Regular travel to Cockermouth, Bingley, Gourock

About James Walker

A private global manufacturing organization, supplying a vast range of high performance fluid sealing products and associated knowledge-based services to virtually every industry sector. With state-of-the-art skills in materials technology, particularly relating to elastomers, polymers, composites and engineering plastics plus extensive expertise in precision machining of exotic alloys for metallic seals, and tension control fasteners for bolted joints.

Your role

James Walker SBU is growing and evolving across the global marketplace, as Operations Director you will be responsible for shaping and implementing the business’s operational footprint to meet the customers’ critical requirements whilst driving efficiency to maximise results.

You will deliver World Class performance through our five UK plants. Maximising overseas operational performance of our large gasket service centres, providing operations best practice guidance to our remote manufacturing plants.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing the management team, ensuring robust succession and development plans are in place. Engagement, performance, motivation and the development of skills are critical factors in maximising potential and delivering high performance.
• Setting the strategic direction, goals and metrics for global operations and their achievement.
• Being a key sponsor for the successful deployment of the new end-to-end IT system (Project Keystone utilising Syteline 10) across the Operations function globally.
• Introducing a standardised, cross site Management Operating System that gives the business hourly, daily, weekly and monthly control points from which to optimise the business.
• Leading on Lean/CI improvement initiatives to raise productivity, quality, customer service, and reduce costs.
• Reviewing and optimising our global logistics.
• Ensuring the strategy is converted into SMART goals for the Operations team, monitoring and managing progress against delivery through the management team.
• Ensuring the workforce is appropriately skilled and developed for the future needs of the business.
• Ensuring the highest levels of health and safety are maintained by employees at all UK Plants and Gasket/Service Centres.
• Working closely with the other SBUs to promote the sharing of best practice across the Group.
• Supporting Product Managers to promote the products and materials to enhance the reputation of the business across target regions, customers, industries, and applications.
• Developing and implementing a site manufacturing strategy aligned to the James Walker strategic plan and ensuring a 3-year rolling plan and actions are in place to achieve this.
• Identifying and introducing innovative technologies into manufacturing process to improve the business performance, creating environment of continuous improvement, e.g. AI / Robotics etc.
• Mentor candidates on the internal BUDDIES strategic leadership programme as required.
• Managing Customer relations and occasional high level visits.
• Work with external stakeholders to develop JW relationships and standings within the communities it operates within (Councils, Colleges, DBT, Chamber of Commerce).

About you

Essential Experience

• Experience of ETO, CTO, MTS manufacturing across multiple geographies
• Strong experience of managing multiple manufacturing sites (including unionised sites)
• Driven a step change in HS&E performance across multiple sites.
• Understands what a World Class Management Operating System looks like.

Preferred Experience

• Black belt in Lean/Sigma
• Has implemented a standardised Management Operating System across multiple sites
• Has implemented a robust Supply Chain structure, delivered Year on Year cost savings, increased supply chain resilience through leveraging a global supply chain, improved inventory levels / stock turns significantly.

Qualifications:

• •Degree level qualification (or equivalent) (Essential)
• •Degree in Engineering, Chemistry or Materials (Preferred)
• •Relevant professional qualification (Preferred)

Application End Date: 07/02/2025