Senior Operations Manager in Bridgend

Senior Operations Manager

Benefits: Pension Salary Sacrifice Scheme, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Company Sick Pay, Corporate Eyecare vouchers, Health Care Cashplan

About Us

Irvin GQ is a world-leading supplier of parachutes, aerial delivery systems and naval decoys to customers around the world.

We create innovative products that our customers know they can rely on in highly challenging conditions where there are no second chances.

Our systems must work right first time, every time.

If you want to be part of a collaborative and supportive team that helps customers achieve their goals through great engineering that stands out from the crowd and are looking for your next challenge, then we want to hear from you!

About the Role

Reporting to the VP of Operations, the Senior Operations Manager is responsible for leading the culture and improving operational performance across Irvin GQ’s manufacturing activities.

The role provides day-to-day leadership to operational teams, ensuring that customer commitments are delivered safely, on time, to the required quality standard and in line with the Company’s financial and strategic objectives.

The role will work closely with Business Unit Managers, Planning, Supply Chain and Manufacturing Engineering to ensure operational plans are realistic, risks are actively managed, and continuous improvement is embedded across the operation.

The Senior Operations Manager will be expected to provide strong leadership, develop people and maintain a focus on safety, quality, delivery, productivity and customer service.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead through visibly demonstrating and instilling our culture.
• Champion Irvin GQ’s values and contribute positively to a culture of accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement and customer focus.
• Lead the operational delivery of manufacturing output, ensuring performance against safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity and people objectives.
• Translate the Operations strategy into clear departmental priorities, action plans and measurable outcomes.
• Drive daily, weekly and monthly operational performance reviews, ensuring issues are identified early and corrective actions are completed.
• Ensure customer delivery commitments are achieved, with particular focus on on-time delivery, past due reduction, schedule adherence and recovery planning.
• Lead cross-functional activity within the business unit to remove constraints and improve operational flow.
• Own and deliver continuous improvement and productivity initiatives, including labour efficiency, throughput improvement, waste reduction, automation and process standardisation.
• Support the VP of Operations in preparing operational plans, forecasts, capacity reviews, headcount plans, capital expenditure proposals and business performance reporting.
• Ensure operational risks and opportunities are actively managed, escalated appropriately and reflected in business planning.
• Promote a safe working environment and ensure operational compliance with health, safety, environmental, security and quality requirements.
• Develop operational leaders and team members through coaching, objective setting, performance management, succession planning and skills development.
• Maintain strong working relationships with internal stakeholders and support customer, regulatory and audit activities as required.
• Leadership and Performance Expectations
• Provide visible, disciplined and consistent leadership across the operations function.
• Set high standards for operational execution, problem solving, communication and accountability.
• Create an environment where teams understand priorities, performance expectations and how their work contributes to the wider business plan.
• Use data and structured reviews to make decisions, escalate issues and track improvement activity.
• Build constructive relationships and ensure operational priorities are aligned with customer and business requirements.

Skills and Experience

• Proven operational leadership experience in a manufacturing, engineering, aerospace, defence or similarly regulated environment.
• 2+ years leading a manufacturing/production line environment
• Strong understanding of production planning, supply chain interaction, manufacturing flow, quality systems and performance management.
• Confident using data, KPIs and structured problem-solving methods to drive improvements.
• Demonstrable track record of improving operational performance, including delivery, productivity, cost control and team capability.
• Experience leading managers, supervisors and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Commercially aware, with the ability to understand how operational decisions affect sales, margin, working capital and customer satisfaction.
• Able to work effectively under pressure, manage competing priorities and maintain sound judgement.
• Positive, resilient and improvement-focused, with the ability to lead change and bring people with them.

Qualifications

• Degree, HND, HNC or equivalent experience in operations management, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain or a related discipline.
• Relevant leadership, lean manufacturing, project management or continuous improvement qualifications are desirable.
• Knowledge of aerospace, defence, quality or regulatory standards is desirable.

Other Considerations

• Willingness to travel between Irvin GQ sites and to customer or supplier locations where required.
• Valid UK driving licence preferred.
• Must be able to work in a defence-related environment and satisfy applicable security requirements.
• Must act at all times with integrity, professionalism and in the best interests of Irvin GQ.