Operations Manager in Devon

Operations Manager (On-site, Devon) | Own production, ERP discipline and supplier performance in a growing engineering business

The opportunity

This is a newly created Operations Manager role due to growth and continued expansion as the business is in active transformation; processes being built, programmes in flight.

You'll need the confidence to constructively challenge upwards when needed, and the pragmatism to deliver results while structure is still being put in place.

Taking ownership of a low-volume, high-mix production operation, leading day-to-day delivery and building the operating discipline that enables predictable throughput, strong quality and on-time delivery.

Key responsibilities1) Day-to-day production leadership

• Lead daily production operations on site, building machine ranges to the standards customers expect.
• Be accountable for on-time delivery, build quality and team performance against the production schedule.
• Own build sequencing and capacity allocation across the programme.
• Chair the daily Assembly Huddle (10 minutes, shop floor) and, from late 2026, the weekly Operations/Leadership meeting.
• 2) MRP/ERP ownership (MRPEasy)
• Act as joint MRPEasy superuser (alongside the Customer Liaison Manager).
• Take operational ownership of MRPEasy post-handover: drive daily use, data quality and process discipline across Operations.
• Ensure MRPEasy is the single source of truth – working in the ERP, not around it.
• 3) Supply chain & procurement (hands-on initially)
• Own BOM-driven procurement, supplier management and material availability across the build programme.
• Personally raise purchase orders (initially) against approved BOMs, transitioning to a Purchasing Planner as the business grows.
• Drive supplier lead-time discipline, material availability controls (including the 18-working-day call-in target), supplier performance management, and working-capital awareness (stock/WIP).
• Lead value engineering with Engineering—reducing cost without compromising build quality.
• 4) Programme delivery & operational improvement

• You will own operational delivery across key programmes including

• ERP benefits realisation (post-implementation operational ownership)
• Throughput improvement (standard timings, bottleneck removal, flow, labour utilisation)
• Supplier reliability & value-for-money (supplier mapping, availability, performance, value engineering)
• Operating cadence delivery (daily/weekly rhythm, KPI scorecard, action-closure discipline)
• 5) Team leadership & development
• Lead and develop the Operations team (currently 4 Operators): coaching, performance management and development planning (with HR support).
• Build a leadership layer beneath you as the function grows (e. g., Senior Operator, Team Leader/Deputy).
• Recruit, induct and develop new hires in line with the approved headcount plan (e. g., Test & Quality Engineer, Stores Person, Purchasing Planner).
• 6) Safety, budget and decision-making
• Hold line responsibility for safety within the Operations team, working to standards set by the Safety & Quality Lead.
• Sign off risk assessments for Operations-area activities; be a visible standard-bearer on the shop floor.
• Support annual budgeting; deliver Operations within the approved budget (team, materials, overhead).
• Spend authority up to £5,000 within budget; higher spend/capex/strategic supplier shifts require Managing Director approval.

Skills & experience Essential

• 5+ years' experience leading a production/manufacturing operation (approx. 5–15 FTE) in an engineering, precision, or low-volume/high-mix environment producing complex configurable products.
• Strong working knowledge of MRP/ERP with the willingness to develop to superuser level; experience working day-to-day "in the system" (not outside it).
• Proven BOM-driven procurement and supplier management experience (lead times, availability controls, performance management, stock/WIP awareness).
• Track record of moving an operation from informal/reactive to structured, disciplined delivery (standard work, KPIs, cadence, action closure).
• Confident people leader with experience coaching performance, building capability and planning succession.
• Experience running effective daily huddles and weekly meetings; comfortable owning and reporting a KPI scorecard.
• Engineering/manufacturing technical literacy—able to engage credibly with engineering, suppliers and shop floor teams.
• To be a clear communicator across all levels, including presenting monthly status with discipline and clarity.
• Comfortable in an SME, hands-on environment and able to switch between leadership work and doing the work (e. g., raising POs early on).
• Resilience and the ability to constructively challenge upwards to maintain standards and prevent reversion to old ways of working.
• Change-comfortable and improvement-oriented, while also process-disciplined once ways of working are agreed.

Desirable

• Experience supporting or embedding ERP implementation benefits (data discipline, adoption, operational reporting).
• Exposure to value engineering / cost reduction programmes in collaboration with engineering.
• What makes this role different
• Real ownership: you'll own the production engine, cadence, delivery, discipline and performance.
• ERP done properly: you'll make the new ERP System the operational source of truth, not a parallel admin task.
• Build the team, not just the plan: you'll develop internal talent and shape future hires as the operation scales.
• Hands-on leadership: this isn't an "arms-length" role—you'll combine operational detail with leadership impact.
• Transformation with purpose: you'll help turn a growing operation into a predictable, scalable system while keeping quality and safety at the centre.