At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and motivate teams in a fast-paced sawmill environment.
- Company: Join BSW Timber, the UK's largest timber and forestry business.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a Group Personal Pension Plan.
- Why this job: Be part of a forward-thinking company focused on sustainability and innovation.
- Qualifications: HND/degree preferred with experience in manufacturing management.
- Other info: Long-term growth opportunities within a family-owned group.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a self-starter with excellent problem-solving skills and a strong background of commercial acumen to join a forward thinking and fast paced organisation at a sawmill where we have extensive plans for future growth through capital investment.
Reporting to the Mill Manager and working alongside the mill management team and key group personnel, you will be responsible for managing a world class production function for the BSW Group. Your key objectives will include directing, leading and motivating the various employees operating the log yard, ‘green mill’, sorting and stacking lines. You will manage the production process to meet safety, quality, yield, productivity and budget targets.
Specifically, some responsibilities of an Operations Manager include:
- Managing performance against various KPIs through the implementation and management of appropriate systems and measures.
- Ensuring plant efficiencies and performance are maximized, downtime minimized and make best use of non-production hours.
- Controlling spending within set budgets, ensuring the efficient use of raw materials, plant and equipment.
- Manage systems of priorities to guide the supervisor(s)/team leaders in organising workload.
- Delivering a continuous improvement process that drives increases in operational performance and delivers an ‘on-time, in full to the right quality standard’ mentality.
- Recommending improvement and capital expenditure plans to meet changing business needs.
- Ensuring that health and safety, environmental, quality and housekeeping standards are championed and delivered.
- Delivering a hands-on approach to leadership and continuously develop team members in line with training plans and training matrix.
About you: To succeed in this exciting and progressive role, we are looking for a motivated and organised individual with proven people management skills. In addition, you will:
- Preferably be HND/degree qualified.
- Have a strong track record in manufacturing management preferably within a sawmilling environment.
- Have gained good working knowledge of lean manufacturing tools and principles and direct experience of change management.
- Have outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Hold excellent computer skills across all Microsoft products.
- Have high influencing and interpersonal skills.
- Can work in a logical/analytical manner, quickly responding to and resolving any production issues that arise.
Our Offer: Excellent salary and benefits and Group Personal Pension Plan. Individual training and development lasting several months to provide best possible chance of success. Long-term opportunity to grow within an internationally successful, family-owned group of companies.
Who we are: BSW Group is the largest timber and forestry business in the UK, with operating divisions spanning the whole supply chain, from tree nurseries and woodland management to sawmilling and pallets. We market 35 million saplings annually through the country’s leading commercial tree nursery, have planted a billion trees through Tilhill Forestry, supply sustainable timber products to an array of industries as BSW Timber, and manufacture millions of pallets a year as Scott Pallets. We work to keep industry moving and aim to be the most technically advanced timber business in the country.
BSW operates as a collection of experts - an interconnected circle, where everyone and everything works together, allowing the business to constantly innovate as our people thrive. With an ethos to use everything and waste nothing, we leverage technology and cutting-edge practices to supply the diverse demands of the UK, helping to build sustainable worlds.
Interested? Click APPLY to be directed to our careers portal. Closing date - 20th June 2025.
Contact Detail:
BSW Timber Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager - Green Mill
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific operations and processes of a sawmill. Understanding the unique challenges and opportunities in this environment will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to BSW Timber's goals.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the timber and manufacturing industry. Attend relevant events or join online forums to connect with others who may have insights into BSW Timber's culture and expectations for the Operations Manager role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with lean manufacturing tools and change management. Be ready to provide examples of how you've successfully implemented these principles in previous roles, as this is crucial for the position.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership style during any interviews or discussions. BSW Timber values hands-on leadership, so be prepared to share how you motivate and develop team members while driving operational performance.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager - Green Mill
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in manufacturing management, particularly in a sawmilling environment. Emphasise your problem-solving skills and any achievements related to KPIs and operational performance.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your leadership style and how it aligns with the hands-on approach mentioned in the job description. Include specific examples of how you've successfully managed teams and improved processes in previous roles.
Highlight Relevant Skills: In your application, clearly outline your knowledge of lean manufacturing tools and change management. Mention your communication skills and proficiency in Microsoft products, as these are key requirements for the role.
Showcase Continuous Improvement Experience: Provide examples of how you've implemented continuous improvement processes in past positions. This could include specific projects or initiatives that led to increased efficiency or productivity, which is crucial for this role.
How to prepare for a job interview at BSW Timber
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
As an Operations Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to tackle challenges head-on. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully resolved production issues or improved processes.
✨Highlight Your Leadership Style
Discuss your hands-on approach to leadership and how you motivate teams. Be ready to share specific instances where you've developed team members or led a project that resulted in improved performance.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Lean Manufacturing Principles
Since the role requires knowledge of lean manufacturing tools, brush up on these concepts. Be prepared to discuss how you've applied them in previous roles to enhance efficiency and reduce waste.
✨Prepare for KPI Discussions
Understand the key performance indicators relevant to the sawmilling industry. Be ready to talk about how you've managed performance against KPIs in the past and what systems you've implemented to track and improve these metrics.