Job Purpose
The Operations Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient and effective day-to-day management of all manufacturing operations across a 24-hour, 5-day cable manufacturing operation, spanning extrusion, layup and winding processes.
The role is accountable for delivering production output, quality, customer service, labour performance, system and stock accuracy and operational excellence, whilst developing high-performing Working Shift Leaders who take ownership of their areas.
The Operations Manager is expected to lead from the shop floor, ensuring that standards are consistently achieved, problems are resolved at the appropriate level and continuous improvement is embedded throughout the business.
This role is based on a 37.5-hour working week, typically comprising 8-hour daytime shifts. While the post holder will primarily work day shifts, flexibility is required to provide oversight and support across rotating shift patterns, including nights, where essential to meet operational needs.
Key Responsibilities
Production Management
- Deliver the daily and weekly production plan across extrusion, layup and winding operations in line with customer demand.
- Ensure production resources are effectively deployed across all shifts.
- Monitor and improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
- Drive Right First Time manufacturing.
- Minimise waste and rework, including scrap cable, compound and copper waste.
- Maximise labour utilisation.
- Review production performance throughout each shift.
- Remove operational barriers affecting delivery performance.
- Ensure effective shift handovers covering both machine status and team matters.
- Manage production priorities in conjunction with Planning.
Leadership
- Lead and develop the Working Shift Leaders through regular coaching, performance reviews and structured development.
- Support Shift Leaders in balancing their dual role, agreeing machine cover and revised priorities where leadership duties take precedence over operating duties.
- Create a culture where Shift Leaders confidently make decisions, solve problems and take ownership of their shift performance.
- Promote accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement throughout the production team.
- Lead daily production meetings and ensure actions are completed.
- Promote company values through visible leadership and consistent behaviours.
Health, Safety & Environment
- Champion a proactive safety culture where safety is an integral part of operational management.
- Ensure PPE compliance, housekeeping standards, machine guarding and safe systems of work, including requirements specific to extrusion and wire handling areas.
- Ensure risk assessments are followed and near misses are reported.
- Ensure accidents are investigated and corrective actions are completed, supporting the SHEQ function as required.
- Ensure safe storage and movement of drums, reels and inter-process stock.
- Conduct regular safety observations and behavioural safety conversations.
- Support ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 compliance.
Quality
- Ensure manufacturing processes consistently meet customer and company quality requirements.
- Work closely with the Quality / SHEQ function to reduce NCRs and improve Right First Time performance.
- Resolve customer complaints and implement corrective actions.
- Improve process capability.
- Drive operator ownership of quality, including in-process checks and quarantine of suspect product.
Continuous Improvement
- Lead continuous improvement activities including waste reduction, OEE improvement, Standard Work, 5S, Visual Management, Root Cause Analysis and Kaizen.
- Promote employee involvement in improvement initiatives.
People Management
- Manage attendance, conduct and performance.
- Act as the escalation point for disciplinary and performance matters raised by Working Shift Leaders.
- Identify training requirements and support succession planning.
- Develop multi-skilled operators across extrusion, layup and winding operations.
- Carry out probation reviews, appraisals and performance discussions.
- Escalate formal disciplinary matters where appropriate.
- Promote employee engagement and positive communication.
Systems & Stock Management
- Use the ERP/MRP system to maintain system accuracy across production operations.
- Take responsibility for stock accuracy, including raw materials, consumables and inter-process stock.
- Manage the re-ordering of production consumables to support uninterrupted operations.
- Carry out day-to-day system transactions accurately and on time.
- Investigate material issues, variances and discrepancies, implementing corrective actions.
- Carry out month-end processes, ensuring transactions, stock records and reporting are completed accurately and to deadline.
Financial Responsibility
- Control labour costs and manage overtime.
- Reduce manufacturing waste.
- Support cost reduction initiatives.
- Monitor departmental expenditure.
- Contribute to annual budget planning.
Cross-Functional Working
- Work closely with Engineering & Maintenance, Planning & Logistics, Quality / SHEQ, Commercial and Finance.
- Ensure departments work collaboratively to achieve business objectives.
Essential
- Manufacturing management experience
- Strong people leadership
- Production planning knowledge
- Lean Manufacturing
- Root Cause Analysis
- Performance management
- Continuous Improvement
- ERP/MRP systems experience, including stock control and system transactions
Desirable
- Cable manufacturing experience (extrusion, layup, winding)
- Six Sigma
- IOSH Managing Safely
- ILM Level 5 Leadership
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free parking
- Gym membership
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
