Operations Director

 Operations Director | West Cumbria | £100,000 - £110,000 basic | 10% bonus | Executive Company Car | Full time, site based

This is a rare opportunity to lead and transform the operations of a flagship UK manufacturing site. Our client, a confidential household-brand manufacturer, is investing in a multi-year programme of site expansion, capital projects and lean transformation.

As newly appointed Operations Director, you will take end-to-end ownership of manufacturing, lead a 10-strong senior management team, and sit on a five-person senior director group partnering the MD. You'll have the autonomy, resources and global backing to deliver measurable gains in safety, quality, delivery, cost and people performance. This is your chance to shape the capacity, capability and culture of a circa 200-headcount operation, part of a multi-million turnover group manufacturing business.

Snapshot of this fantastic opportunity:

• Salary: Up to £110,000 basic plus 10% profit-related bonus
• Benefits: Executive electric or hybrid company car or car allowance, contributory pension (6%), 28 days' holiday plus bank holidays, private medical insurance, life insurance
• Location: West Cumbria (site based, 5 days per week)
• Hours: 39 hours a week, Monday to Friday
• Contract: Permanent, full time
• Reports to: Managing Director

Is this right for you?

• Have you run the full operation on a large manufacturing site, with purchasing, maintenance, production and logistics all sitting with you?
• Is your background in high-volume manufacturing, producing at pace day in, day out, rather than delivering one-off large-scale projects?
• Can you point to continuous improvement you've personally driven, and show the KPIs that prove what changed?
• Have you led large manufacturing teams, developing your managers and giving colleagues a real route to progress?
• Are you the kind of leader people on the shop floor respect and want to follow: visible, credible, and bringing the energy that keeps a site moving?

What you'll do

• Lead site operations across the factory, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, cost and people performance
• Manage and develop a 10-strong senior management team; set objectives, coach and build accountability
• Deliver the site development roadmap and capital investment cases; evaluate ROI, risk and operational impact
• Plan and execute lean manufacturing improvements (standard work, waste reduction, process improvement etc.)
• Lead workforce planning to align capacity, skills and shift patterns with demand and growth targets
• Oversee supply chain, warehousing and distribution to optimise service, inventory and cost
• Own budgets, forecasts and resource allocation; ensure cost discipline and alignment to commercial goals
• Track KPIs and drive targeted improvement plans across safety, quality, delivery and efficiency
• Ensure compliance with UK health, safety, environmental and regulatory requirements
• Build effective relationships with group colleagues and external partners to support delivery

Non-negotiable requirements (must haves)

• Recent UK manufacturing experience at senior level
• Leadership of a 100+ workforce (multi-department or multi-site operations)
• Experience within a large international or group structure
• Strong command of lean methodologies and quality management systems
• Hands-on delivery of modernisation projects in a high-volume environment
• Excellent communication and change leadership, with the credibility to influence across a group structure
• Able to work fully on site, 5 days a week, due to the nature of the business and role
• Live within a commutable distance of West Cumbria (within 1 hour of the site) or be willing to relocate. Relocation package available

Desirable (not essential but would be great!)

• Degree or Masters in Operations Management, Engineering or a related field

Why this role

• High-impact mandate in a financially stable, growth-minded organisation
• Real influence as part of a five-strong senior director team supporting the MD
• Opportunity to modernise, expand and scale a recognised UK manufacturing site
• Competitive package including bonus, executive car, pension and holidays
• Work closely with a highly motivated and collaborative MD with an emphasis on innovation, expansion and sustainability

Foxgroves Recruitment acts as an employment agency for vacancies on behalf of clients, following fair and inclusive recruitment practices in line with the Equality Act 2010. All appointments are subject to pre-employment screening, including right to work checks, reference checks, and qualification verification. Reasonable adjustments are available for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.