Operations Manager in Liverpool

DCT Recruitment are looking for a permanent Operations Manager.

Location: Based primarily on the road visiting customer properties, with regular attendance at head office and factory as required.

Role Purpose: The Operations Manager will be responsible for overseeing the smooth and efficient delivery, installation, and completion of fitted kitchens for our retail side of the business and new build when required. This is a hands-on operational role focused on pre-installation checks, problem prevention, installer co-ordination with the company’s installation department, quality control, and continuous improvement across manufacturing, logistics, and installation processes. The role acts as the key link between the customer, sales design department, factory, transport team, and installers, ensuring that every kitchen fits correctly, is delivered and installed professionally, and meets the company’s quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Pre-Delivery Site Visits & Surveys: Visit customers' homes prior to manufacture and delivery to carry out detailed site surveys. Confirm all dimensions, levels, services (plumbing, electrics, gas), access points, and structural considerations. Identify any potential issues that may affect the manufacture, delivery, or installation of the kitchen. Proactively resolve issues before manufacture wherever possible.
• Client Liaison & Negotiation: Act as the company’s representative on site when technical or practical issues arise. Clearly explain any required property alterations or preparatory works to customers (e.g. walls, floors, services, access). Negotiate practical solutions with customers to ensure successful installation while protecting company margins and timelines. Maintain a professional, calm, and customer-focused approach at all times.
• Communication: Provide clear, accurate feedback from site surveys to the process team and sales team. Ensure all amendments, changes, or constraints are fully communicated before orders are processed. Work closely with designers to ensure kitchens are manufacturable, installable, and compliant with site conditions. Reduce errors, remakes, and delays through effective information flow.
• Delivery Oversight & Transport Compliance: Attend selected deliveries to customer properties to ensure delivery procedures are followed correctly. Monitor driver conduct, handling of goods, site behaviour, and adherence to company policies. Identify any non-compliance, issues, or areas for improvement and report directly to the Transport Manager. Provide balanced feedback highlighting both positive performance and areas requiring improvement.
• Co-ordination & Quality Control: Attend the property at the start of installation to meet with installers. Go through the installation plans in detail, ensuring installers fully understand the layout, sequencing, and any site-specific considerations. Conduct follow-up visits throughout the installation week to ensure work is progressing to plan, company quality standards are met, and any issues are identified and resolved quickly. Ensure installations are completed efficiently, safely, and to a high standard.
• Completion & Handover: Carry out final inspection visits when fitters are still on site. Ensure any snagging issues are identified and completed on the final day of installation and resolved promptly. Support customer satisfaction and protect the company’s reputation for quality and professionalism.
• Report Feedback: Report feedback to the Factory Director and Transport Manager, Installation Department, including positives and negatives, process breakdowns, quality issues, and opportunities for improvement. Compile a monthly report for the Managing Director summarising site findings, installation performance, delivery and logistics performance, recurring issues, and recommendations for operational improvements.
• Continuous Improvements: Identify trends, recurring issues, and inefficiencies across surveying, manufacturing, delivery, and installation. Suggest practical, cost-effective improvements to systems, procedures, and communication. Play an active role in improving customer satisfaction, reducing errors, and increasing overall operational efficiency.

Skills & Experience Required:

• Proven experience in the fitted kitchen industry, installation & operations.
• Strong technical knowledge of kitchen installation, site conditions, and common construction issues.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Confident communicator able to deal with customers, installers, drivers, designers, and senior management.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and plans.
• Organised, methodical, and detail-focused.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Previous operations or site management experience.
• Understanding of manufacturing and logistics processes.
• Experience dealing with customer negotiations and conflict resolution.

Personal Attributes:

• Professional and customer-focused.
• Calm under pressure.
• Practical and solutions-driven.
• Strong leadership presence on site.
• Honest, reliable, and accountable.

Performance Measures:

• Reduction in installation issues and remakes.
• Improved communication between site, design, factory, and transport.
• Installer and delivery compliance with company procedures.
• Customer satisfaction levels.
• Quality and usefulness of reporting and improvement recommendations.

In return for your passion, commitment, drive and performance, we offer a competitive salary of £40,000.00 + Potential Tax Free EOT Bonus paid 6 monthly, Company Car/Fuel Card and Mobile Phone, Laptop, 20 days holiday per year plus Bank Holidays (holidays increase from the 3rd year of service onwards), Social Events, and Workplace Pension Scheme.