Head of Manufacturing Operations in Barnstaple

Engineered to Protect, that’s our promise, we protect what matters - our nations, our waters, our land, our cities, our people, our environment, our world. As Head of Manufacturing Operations, you'll be the strategic leader for the Manufacturing Operations function at SEA, ensuring that production is effective, disciplined and capable of delivering on time, cost and quality. You’ll be tasked with elevating manufacturing performance at SEA, strengthening process governance, and developing a high‑performing production organisation capable of supporting a diverse portfolio of defence products. The Head of Manufacturing Operations will be based at our Barnstaple site with the opportunity for flexible working. The salary for this role is up to £73k, depending on experience.

What you’ll be doing

• Leadership of manufacturing functions: Provide end to end leadership of Production, Production Engineering, and Production Training. Ensure each function operates cohesively with clear priorities, governance, and accountability. Develop future capability, skill progression, and a strong leadership pipeline across all areas.
• Strategic Direction & Transformation: Define and execute the strategic direction for Manufacturing Operations in alignment with business growth and operational transformation. Implement a roadmap to modernise manufacturing methods, capability, and digital tools (ERP, PLM, MES). Drive a culture of continuous improvement, process discipline, and right first time behaviours.
• Manufacturing Execution & Flow Management: Own execution of production schedules, ensuring stable flow, takt adherence, and proactive constraint management. Strengthen governance through daily tiered meetings, GEMBA, and visual management systems. Ensure accurate as-built records, configuration compliance, and engineering change control.
• Production engineering leadership: Focused on driving manufacturability improvements, ensuring that production engineering provides timely support to de‑risk builds and improve quality.
• Production training & competence management: Leading the development of production skills and competence frameworks, in an environment of structured learning and hands‑on development.
• Performance, quality & compliance: Working with the team to create and maintain a KPI dashboard for delivery, efficiency, quality, utilisation and EHS.

About our company

At SEA, we develop and deliver advanced solutions to make our world safer, cleaner and more efficient. We provide state-of-the-art applications for naval ship and fleet protection, and undersea surveillance systems. In-service across the globe, our systems deliver a rapid response to threats and system effectiveness and interoperation. Our systems support an ever-growing number of navies across the world, and we continue to bolster our already specialist, on‑the‑ground knowledge of key overseas markets.

What we offer

At our core, we encourage innovation, flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking to solve problems, so we’re always looking for talented, flexible, and creative people to bring their best to SEA. In return we offer generous rewards, a fantastic work/life balance, and excellent career and training opportunities for everyone who joins. Have a look at the benefits we offer:

• Work life balance
• Hybrid/flexible working arrangements
• 25 days’ annual leave, plus buy and sell
• Up to 16 days flexi leave accrual
• Half day Fridays
• Reservists in the Armed Forces receive special paid leave
• Private medical health insurance & Employee Assistance Program
• Group Pension Plan of up to 7% employer contribution
• Cycle to work scheme
• Wellbeing Centre
• Sports & Social activities
• Employee Discounts portal - online and in-store discounts, travel savings
• Life assurance policy
• Publication and recruitment bonus rewards
• Development opportunities, including LinkedIn learning
• Electric vehicle charging points at all sites
• Private seated lunch areas
• Onsite bistro (Barnstaple office) and free hot and cold beverages
• Onsite showers and toiletries provision
• Free onsite parking

Skills you need

Strong leadership and people development capabilities, proven ability to inspire, support and develop a team toward high performance. Excellent problem‑solving, analytical, and process‑optimisation skills, prior experience of developing a manufacturing engineering function. Ability to manage change, embed new processes, and drive cultural improvements.

Join us and be part of something smaller - with 500 people in the UK and Canada - doing something bigger: protecting what matters. If you’d like to know more, please give Dave from our Talent Acquisition Team a call on 03330 041 4172. Or reach out to us on talentacquisition@sea.co.uk