The Operations Manager will be responsible for leading and managing all operational activities within the manufacturing facility, ensuring that production, safety, quality, delivery, and performance targets are consistently achieved. The successful candidate will play a hands-on leadership role across all operational areas and shifts, driving a culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
This role requires a visible and proactive leader who is willing to work closely with teams on the production floor, support a 24/7 operation, and lead by example in all aspects of operational performance and people management.
About The Role
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Lead all manufacturing operations to ensure customer orders are delivered on time, in full, efficiently, and within budget.
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Promote and ensure full compliance with the company’s Integrated Management System, placing safety, environmental, and quality standards at the forefront of all operational activities.
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Foster a “safety-first” culture throughout the business, ensuring safe systems of work are consistently followed across all departments and shifts.
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Maintain a strong presence on the factory floor and actively engage with all operational teams, supporting day shift, night shift, and weekend operations as required.
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Coach, mentor, and develop operational teams, encouraging accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
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Create, develop, and monitor departmental key performance indicators (KPIs), tactical plans, and operational projects aligned with strategic business goals.
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Drive operational excellence through TOC principles and lean manufacturing, waste reduction, process optimisation, continuous improvement initiatives across all operational areas.
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Lead daily, weekly, and monthly operational communication meetings, encouraging effective two-way communication across all levels of the business.
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Work closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, and other business functions to ensure customer, supplier, and employee expectations are achieved.
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Champion positive employee relations while demonstrating a flexible and adaptable leadership style appropriate to the operational environment.
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Support succession planning, employee development, and talent retention to build high-performing operational teams.
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Ensure effective resource planning across all operational areas to meet changing business demands.
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Lead operational projects and improvement initiatives, ensuring delivery is on time, within scope, and within budget.
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Occasional travel may be required to group sites and customer locations to support operational alignment, project implementation, business collaboration, and customer engagement activities.
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Liaise directly with customers regarding product quality concerns or operational issues when required, ensuring investigations are managed professionally and that swift, practical, and satisfactory resolutions are achieved to maintain strong customer relationships.
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Promote the company’s vision, mission, values, and behaviours through visible leadership and engagement.
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Carry out any other duties as required.
About the ideal candidate:
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A highly experienced operations leader with a strong background in fast-paced manufacturing environments, including proven success managing large, multi-shift operational teams and delivering against production, safety, quality, and delivery targets.
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A visible, hands-on leader who actively engages on the shop floor, builds strong relationships across all levels, and leads by example in promoting company standards, behaviours, and a safety-first culture.
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A strong people manager with the ability to coach, mentor, and develop high-performing teams, driving accountability, collaboration, employee engagement, and succession planning within a demanding operational setting.
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A continuous improvement champion with solid expertise in lean manufacturing, operational excellence, and performance management, capable of leading KPI development, process optimisation, and cross-functional improvement initiatives.
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An effective communicator and decision-maker with strong organisational and planning skills, able to work cross-functionally, manage competing priorities, and ensure operational alignment with wider business goals and customer expectations.
Hours of Work:
45 hours per week. The successful candidate will be required to independently allocate these hours in line with operational business needs, ensuring appropriate presence, coverage, and engagement across all three shift patterns: day shift, night shift, and weekend shift.
Applications:
To apply, please upload your CV together with a supporting cover letter outlining your relevant experience and why you are interested in the role by 9am on Monday 22nd June 2026.
Required Criteria
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Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a Operations Management role within a fast paced manufacturing environment, with full responsibility for managing operational teams and site performance.
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Strong working knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies and operational performance management.
- Experience leading cross functional teams and delivering operational improvements.
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Strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to motivate and develop teams at all levels, while leading by example and consistently communicating company standards, expectations, and behaviours.
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Flexibility with working hours to support a 24/7 shift pattern including weekends and night shifts when required.
- Willingness to travel outside of Northern Ireland if required.
Strong IT and reporting skills.
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Desired Criteria
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2:2 qualification in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing or equivalent discipline.
- Formal training in TOC (Theory of Constraints) certification or in Lean Manufacturing, Project Management or Operational Excellence methodologies.
- IOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification.
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Evidence of continued professional development within manufacturing, operations or leadership disciplines.
Skills Needed
Production Operations
About The Company
Founded by Sam and Julienne McCrea in 1990, SAM is still a family run business today. For over 30 years, SAM has been trusted by the construction and home improvement industries to manufacture quality MDF mouldings that have been fitted in homes, offices, hotels and other commercial buildings across the UK, Ireland, Europe and as far afield as the United States of America.
With factories and offices in Northern Ireland and England, and continued investment into our product quality, range, availability and delivery, SAM is well placed to provide a market leading, consistent and reliable service package to customers through our personable and professional team.
Company Culture
SAM is a family run business founded in 1990, with two sites in Antrim and Donington (Spalding, Lincolnshire). We have strong core values of Teamwork, Integrity, Respect, and Loyalty – ethics that apply throughout the business. Our commitment to our people is reflected in the fact that in 2004, we were the first manufacturing company in the world to achieve Investors in People Champion status.
SAM is an Investors in People Gold accredited organisation since 2017. Our people have always been our greatest asset and our company’s success would not be possible without the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our employees.
Company Benefits
Quarterly Profit Share Bonus
Total customer satisfaction bonus to a maximum amount of £800 per year – assuming no quality mistakes occur.
Participants of the Work Well Live Well programme through which we carry out numerous wellbeing initiatives each year.
Annual team vote for company charity partner and regular team fundraising activities.
Company branded clothing.
Monthly company value awards.
Bright idea awards.
Holiday treats.
Service Awards.
Yearly full attendance awards.
Numerous training opportunities.
Free money back via Westfield health care scheme (available after 6 months service).
Competitive annual leave entitlement. Extra loyalty days can be accrued which is linked to service.
Death in service cover.
Auto enrolment on Day 1 to the SAM Pension scheme (ER contribute 4%)
Employee discounts, Free parking, Cycle to work, Competitive salary, Life insurance, Long service recognition, Employee Assistance Scheme, Wellbeing Scheme, Work With Charities, Social Opportunities, Profit Share, Employee Recognition Scheme
Salary
Starting from £55,000.00 per year
