Director of Operations

Up to £200K, generous bonus, car allowance, share options & benefits. Relocation assistance available.

Our client is a market leader in the design and manufacture of innovative, high performance products and solutions for global aerospace and defence markets. This is a profitable business heading into a period of substantial growth.

This is a critical appointment, carrying significant responsibility for leading a multi-functional team to ensure the strategic direction and operational effectiveness of Manufacturing Operations. It requires ensuring sufficient resources and strong leadership are present to achieve challenging KPI targets for OTD, Quality, and Costs. Additionally, you will drive the Continuous Improvement program for operations in alignment with the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will be an influential member of the executive leadership team and will play a key role in the overall running of the business and the decision making process.

• Promote a culture of innovation and achieve goals for shipment, on-time delivery, arrears, inventory and productivity.
• Ensure performance targets are fit for purpose, simplify systems, integrate process, improvement, data capture and cost reduction strategies to optimise effectiveness.
• Take strategic steps to ensure manufacturing is aligned to support substantial growth plans and business objectives.
• Look for ways to gain deeper insights into how AI can boost manufacturing operations by turning large volumes of industrial data into actionable strategies that can help decrease downtime, improve product quality, and optimise supply chain management.
• Build strong working relationships with customers; understand their needs and respond quickly to requests in order to develop new business opportunities.
• Cultivate a workplace that promotes collaboration, enthusiasm, and creative thinking; motivate and guide teams to consistently enhance, invent, and achieve excellent results.
• Lead and inspire a multi-skilled team, mentor employees, and empower them to take on more responsibility for current and future success.
• Establish and maintain robust inventory management systems to optimise costs, mitigate risks, and improve product availability and delivery efficiency.
• Lead Continuous Improvement initiatives to achieve ambitious productivity goals. Prioritise change management, accountability and performance throughout the process.
• Oversee outsourcing, vendor assessment, and development. Focus material sourcing and supply chain efforts on building reliable, long-term supplier relationships to optimise delivery and cost.
• Supply ongoing forecast data to support capacity planning within the ERP system, ensuring that labour, material management, and production resources are in place to meet demand.
• Ensure a “Safety First” culture, including compliance with SHEQ policies & requirements.
• Support contract reviews and work with engineering teams to develop products, pursue higher value-added concepts, and enhance lifecycle support capabilities to better serve customer requirements.
• As a core member of the leadership team, deliver presentations on key business and financial performance metrics.

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a manufacturing or engineering discipline, personal drive and aspiration is also important.
• Demonstrable experience, skills and personal qualities as an established Executive ("Chief Operating Officer(COO)" or Head of Operations) within a dynamic, agile and specialised manufacturing setting.
• Experience working in a responsive manufacturing environment focused on projects, preferably within regulated sectors such as Automotive, Aerospace & Defence, Electronics, Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences, or Oil and Gas etc.
• Experience in planning and implementing a significant “scaling up” of operations within an autonomous manufacturing environment is preferred. Strong leadership and vision are essential for business transformation.
• Demonstrates the ability to effectively define and implement operational strategies through robust planning, while consistently maintaining an active and highly visible presence on the shop floor.
• A people-focused leader, ideally with experience of managing multi-site operations; proven leadership and coaching in both line and matrix structures.
• Possesses strong technical credibility, with comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing processes and techniques, raw materials, quality systems and standards, health and safety regulations, as well as engineering and technology principles and practices.
• Inquisitive, able to ask key questions, offer insights, and encourage teams to drive performance, embrace change and improvement.
• Able to engage in meaningful discussions without confrontation. Ambitious, results-oriented, and an effective team player. Communicates openly with strong drive and determination.
• Proficiency with quality tools and process improvement methodologies, with the capability to manage change effectively and establish appropriate KPIs to accurately monitor and enhance business performance.
• Strong finance, commercial and analytical skills for performance reporting and presentations.
• IT literate in Microsoft office suite, MS Project (or equivalents), ERP systems, etc.
• A valid driving licence, as well as a willingness and ability to travel internationally.
• Hold or be able to hold UK Security Clearance.