Operations & Systems Manager in Sunderland

While professional experience and qualifications are key for this role, make sure to check you have the preferable soft skills before applying if required.

Newcastle upon Tyne

Salary Circa £45k

Are you someone who enjoys bringing structure, systems, and operational improvements into a manufacturing environment? Do you understand garment production, fabrics, or sewn products and enjoy improving how things operate without losing quality? Are you looking for a role where you can help shape the future of a growing manufacturing business during a major period of expansion and change?

We are recruiting for an Operations & Systems Manager to join a well-established and highly respected manufacturing business specialising in bespoke, high-quality textile and sewn products. The business operates within a specialist manufacturing environment where craftsmanship, precision, and quality are central to everything they do. The business has grown significantly and is now entering an exciting new phase as it centralises manufacturing operations, invests in systems and processes, and prepares for further expansion. This is not a standard keep things ticking over operations role. The company is looking for somebody who can help professionalise and scale the operation whilst still respecting the craftsmanship, quality, and heritage behind the products.

The Opportunity

This role sits at the centre of manufacturing operations and will work closely with senior leadership to improve visibility, efficiency, planning, and operational structure across the production environment. You will be joining the business during a period of major transformation including:

• Manufacturing consolidation
• Operational scaling
• Process improvement
• Systems development
• New premises expansion
• Workflow and labour tracking improvements

For the right person, this role could develop significantly over time as the business continues to grow.

What You Will Be Doing

• Reviewing and improving operational workflows across manufacturing and production
• Implementing better labour tracking and production visibility processes
• Supporting inventory, stock control, and operational systems improvements
• Developing and documenting operational procedures and standards
• Working closely with production teams to improve efficiency and consistency
• Supporting operational planning as the business scales
• Working with ERP and operational systems to improve reporting and visibility
• Collaborating with leadership on strategic operational projects
• Supporting sourcing and outsourcing activities where required
• Helping ensure operational improvements are implemented in a practical and people-focused way

What We Are Looking For

We are open to a range of manufacturing and production backgrounds, however candidates must have an understanding of garment production, sewn products, fabrics, or similar manufacturing environments. This could include backgrounds such as:

• Garment manufacturing
• Workwear production
• Textile manufacturing
• Specialist apparel
• Luxury or heritage manufacturing
• Military or ceremonial garments
• Technical sewn products

We are particularly interested in people who combine operational thinking with a practical understanding of production environments. The ideal person will likely have experience with:

• Manufacturing operations
• Production planning
• Labour tracking or operational KPIs
• Inventory and stock systems
• ERP systems
• Process improvement
• Operational systems and reporting
• Workflow optimisation

Personality and approach are equally important. The business is looking for somebody who is:

• Detail-oriented
• Pragmatic
• Calm under pressure
• Organised
• Technically and systems minded
• Collaborative in approach
• Comfortable managing change positively within a long-standing production environment

This is an interesting opportunity to join a growing specialist manufacturer at a key stage in its development where the right person can make a visible and lasting impact.