Area Manager

NOV; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

NOV is seeking an Area Manager to own a manufacturing area in the UK, leading a team of 16–20 employees and delivering safe, high-quality output. You’ll plan production activities, drive improvements, and work with the Operations Director to meet customer commitments and optimise processes.

Join NOV FGS UK to influence operations across aerospace, defence and marine applications, develop people, and foster a strong safety culture within a collaborative manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and developing teams with direct people management responsibility.
• Organise work, delegate responsibilities and drive team performance.
• Experience managing priorities and meeting customer deadlines.
• Commitment to health, safety and quality in operations.
• Ability to coach, motivate and manage performance while fostering a positive culture.
• Strong communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day performance of allocated manufacturing area and personnel.
• Plan and coordinate production activities to meet delivery commitments.
• Promote health, safety and environmental culture across operations.
• Develop and coach team members to improve capability and performance.
• Drive productivity and Lean initiatives while reducing waste.
• Manage factory costs, overtime and efficient use of labour and equipment.
• Ensure compliance with BMS, quality standards and procedures.
• Monitor performance metrics and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Investigate incidents and implement effective corrective actions.
• Maintain housekeeping, organisation and workmanship standards.
• Collaborate with planning and other departments to hit objectives.
• Build positive customer relationships by delivering on time and quality.

Skills

Team leadership

Lean manufacturing

Safety culture

Communication

Job description

Job Description

As an Area Manager, you will take ownership of one of our manufacturing areas, ensuring work is delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards. You will lead and develop a team of approximately 16–20 employees while maintaining focus on productivity, customer delivery, cost control and continuous improvement.

Working closely with the Operations Director, you will play a key role in planning production activities, supporting operational improvements and maintaining a strong safety culture across the factory.

Success in this role comes from building engaged teams, making sound operational decisions and ensuring customer commitments are consistently met.

Why Join NOV?

At NOV FGS UK, you'll lead one of our key manufacturing areas, overseeing the production of specialist composite piping systems used in demanding industries including energy, defence and marine applications. This is an opportunity to make a visible impact on operational performance while leading an experienced team in a collaborative manufacturing environment.

You'll work closely with the Operations Director and fellow Area Managers to drive continuous improvement, develop people, optimise manufacturing processes and deliver outstanding customer outcomes. We invest in our leaders through ongoing development, specialist product training where required, and opportunities to broaden your operational and leadership experience within a global engineering organisation.

Diversity & Inclusion

At NOV, we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We value diversity in all its forms and believe different perspectives drive innovation and success. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day performance of an allocated manufacturing area and its personnel.
• Plan and coordinate production activities to achieve customer delivery commitments.
• Promote a strong health, safety and environmental culture across all operations.
• Develop, coach and support team members to improve capability and performance.
• Drive productivity, efficiency and Lean manufacturing initiatives while reducing waste and non-value-added activities.
• Manage factory costs, overtime and effective utilisation of labour and equipment.
• Ensure compliance with NOV Business Management System (BMS), quality standards and operational procedures.
• Monitor manufacturing performance, quality and delivery metrics, implementing corrective actions where required.
• Investigate safety, quality and environmental incidents and ensure effective corrective actions are implemented.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, factory organisation and workmanship.
• Work collaboratively with production planning and other departments to achieve operational objectives.
• Build positive customer relationships by ensuring products are delivered on time and to the required quality standards.

Essential

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and developing teams with direct people management responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to organise work, delegate responsibilities and drive team performance.
• Experience managing operational priorities and delivering against customer deadlines.
• Strong commitment to health, safety and quality within an operational environment.
• Ability to coach, motivate and manage performance while fostering a positive team culture.
• Strong communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• Experience in a manufacturing, production, engineering or industrial environment.
• Knowledge of Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement principles.
• IOSH qualification or equivalent health and safety training.
• Ability to interpret engineering or ISO drawings.
• Bondstrand Bonders qualification.
• Bondstrand Train the Trainer qualification.