At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead production, service, and logistics to ensure timely delivery of high-quality machinery.
- Company: Established company known for innovative physical testing machinery, trusted by global brands.
- Benefits: Generous annual leave, life assurance, pension plan, flexible hours, and potential global travel.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and continuous improvement in a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Join a hands-on leadership role that bridges engineering and customer engagement in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Engineering background with proven operations management experience and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Kettering, Northamptonshire
Salary: Up to £50,000 per annum DOE
Hours: 37.5 hrs per week
About the Company
Our client is a long-established company specialising in the design and manufacture of physical testing machinery. Trusted by leading global brands, their equipment is exported worldwide to support quality and performance standards across multiple industries. Their Kettering facility combines engineering expertise with advanced production processes to deliver high-value, low-volume machinery.
About the Role
The Operations Manager will oversee the end-to-end coordination of production, service, logistics, and operational delivery, ensuring customer commitments are met on time, to quality standards, and within budget. This is a hands-on leadership position requiring a strong engineering background, proven production management experience, and commercial awareness. The role bridges engineering, production, sales, and customers, ensuring products are delivered profitably and reliably. It includes customer-facing responsibilities and contributes to business development and strategic marketing through operational and technical input.
Key Responsibilities
- Operational Delivery & Planning: Own and continuously improve delivery performance from order acceptance to shipment, installation, commissioning, and service. Lead integrated planning across sales, engineering, production, service, and procurement, ensuring priorities, capacity, and risks are visible. Serve as the escalation point for delivery issues, proactively communicating and mitigating risks.
- Production & Service Oversight: Manage and support team leaders responsible for mechanical production and assembly, electrical build, calibration, and commissioning, global service and technical support, logistics and order fulfillment. Ensure all production, calibration, and service activities adhere to agreed processes and quality standards. Oversee logging and escalation of design, production, supplier, or parts defects.
- Commercial & Margin Awareness: Meet financial objectives through operational decision-making. Minimise avoidable cost leakage via improved planning, sourcing, internal manufacturing vs. subcontracting decisions, and clear service charging. Collaborate with Sales, Procurement, and Engineering to ensure commercially sound decisions. Report financial performance against budget.
- Customer & Market Engagement: Act as a senior operational contact for key customers, fostering confidence in delivery and service. Support the development of service offerings, training, upgrades, and aftermarket opportunities. Contribute operational and technical expertise to marketing materials, product positioning, and business development.
- Leadership & Team Development: Lead, coach, and develop team leaders, enhancing planning discipline, accountability, and confidence. Promote a commercially aware, customer-focused culture across production and service teams. Support skills development, training records, and succession planning.
- Continuous Improvement & Governance: Enhance consistency of operational processes without adding unnecessary bureaucracy. Maintain feedback loops between production, service, and engineering teams. Support skills development, training records, and succession planning.
About You
Essential:
- Willingness to challenge constructively and improve ways of working
- Engineering background (mechanical and/or electrical)
- Proven experience in production or operations management
- Experience leading technical or production teams
- Strong planning, coordination, and problem-solving skills
- Commercial awareness
- Confident communicator with internal teams and customers
- Comfortable in a low-volume, high-value manufacturing environment
Desirable:
- Experience in test equipment, machinery, or capital equipment
- Exposure to service, commissioning, or calibration activities
- Previous customer-facing or account support experience
- Involvement in business development or product marketing
- Knowledge of CE/UKCA or regulated machinery environments
- Experience managing subcontract manufacture
Benefits Include:
- 25–30 days (service-related) annual leave
- Life assurance
- Group personal pension plan
- Income protection
- Free parking
- Flexible working hours
- Potential for global travel
Recruitment Contact: This vacancy is being handled exclusively by Interaction Recruitment.
Closing date: Friday 13th March
1st Stage Teams interviews: 25th & 26th March 2026
Operations Manager in Kettering employer: Interaction Recruitment
Our client is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Kettering where innovation meets engineering excellence. With a strong focus on employee development and a culture that promotes collaboration and continuous improvement, team members enjoy competitive benefits including flexible working hours and opportunities for global travel. This role not only allows you to lead and inspire a talented team but also to engage directly with key customers, making a meaningful impact in the world of high-value machinery.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager in Kettering
✨Tip Number 1: Get Involved in Consulting Case Competitions
Look for case competitions hosted by universities and consulting firms. They’re a fab way to showcase your problem-solving skills and meet industry players. Plus, winning one can seriously boost your CV, which we know is key when applying for roles like Operations Manager at Interaction Recruitment!
✨Tip Number 2: Leverage Alumni Networks
Tap into your university’s alumni network; many consultants love to help out new talent. Reach out to alumni who are working in management consulting, they might have insider knowledge about openings at firms like Interaction Recruitment or be willing to refer you for that Operations Manager position!
✨Tip Number 3: Attend Industry Events and Conferences
Keep an eye on management consulting events, workshops, or panels. These are prime opportunities to network with top professionals and get your name out there. You might even bump into someone from Interaction Recruitment who’s on the lookout for their next Operations Manager star!
✨Tip Number 4: Polish Your Consulting Skills Online
Engage with online platforms that offer consulting simulations or courses. Prove your chops by completing relevant projects — this not only beefs up your experience but also gives you concrete examples to chat about during interviews for that full-time Operations Manager role at Interaction Recruitment!
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager in Kettering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Problem-Solving Skills:In management consulting, it's all about problem-solving—so make sure your CV highlights your analytical and critical thinking skills. Include examples from your studies or previous roles where you tackled complex issues or came up with innovative solutions. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to demonstrate your impact!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to explain why you're a perfect fit for the consulting world. Focus on your motivation for joining the industry and how your skills align with the requirements of the role at Interaction Recruitment. Remember to mention any relevant coursework or projects that showcase your understanding of strategic frameworks or business models!
Highlight Team Experience:Consultants often work in teams, so it's vital to showcase your collaborative skills. Include experiences where you've worked effectively with others, whether in academic group projects or internships. Discuss your role in the team and how you helped achieve common goals, demonstrating you can thrive in a consultancy environment.
Professionalise Your Online Presence:Make sure your LinkedIn and any other professional profiles are up to date, reflecting your career aspirations in management consulting. Connect with industry professionals and follow relevant groups—show you’re serious about entering this field. Applying through our website is a great way to get noticed, so showcase your personality and enthusiasm there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Interaction Recruitment
✨Master the Case Study Game
In management consulting, case study interviews are all the rage. Make sure to practice structuring your thoughts and analysing data on the fly. Use resources like example case studies to get comfortable with frameworks and solutions. Remember, it’s not just about getting the right answer but showcasing your thought process, so talk us through your reasoning!
✨Know Your Numbers
Be prepared for some numerical and analytical questions. Brush up on your mental math and be ready to interpret data from charts or graphs. We might throw some business scenarios at you that require a quick turnaround on numerical analysis, so practice these skills to feel confident and swift!
✨Show Your Leadership Flair
As this is a full-time role, we want to see your potential as a seasoned consultant. Be ready to discuss experiences where you've led a project or a team. Think about times you've influenced decisions or navigated challenges—this is your chance to show how you can thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
✨Be a Cultural Fit
We’re not just looking for brains; we want to see if you vibe with our company culture at Interaction Recruitment. Prepare to share how your values align with ours. Have a think about what makes a great team environment for you and how you can contribute to that. A good cultural fit goes a long way in management consulting!
