Business Operations Manager

Brush Group; Colchester; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

BRUSH Group is seeking a Business Operations Manager to oversee Production, Planning, and Supply Chain, ensuring safe, efficient, and profitable operations. You will drive OTIF performance, manage backlogs, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver value while maintaining high SHE and quality standards.

The role requires proven senior operations leadership in engineering/manufacturing, with a track record of improving margins and implementing Lean/CI programmes.

Qualifications

• Senior operational leadership experience in engineering or manufacturing.
• Proven ability to improve gross margin and efficiency.
• Experience in engineered-to-order production.
• Strong production planning and capacity modelling knowledge.
• Lean methodologies and CI programme experience.
• Financial literacy with understanding of cost drivers and margin management.
• Engineering qualification desirable or significant relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead Production, Testing, Planning & Scheduling, Stores, Supply Chain and Manufacturing Engineering teams to deliver the production plan safely, efficiently and profitably.
• Ensure On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) delivery performance meets or exceeds targets.
• Maintain visibility of backlog, work-in-progress and production loading.
• Be accountable for manufacturing gross margin performance.
• Strengthen supplier performance, reliability and risk management.
• Reduce exposure to long-lead and single-source components.
• Improve inventory control and stock turns.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Implement structured problem-solving tools (5S, 5 Whys, Root Cause Analysis, FMEA, Kanban).
• Establish measurable productivity and cost-saving targets.
• Ensure all manufactured products meet required industry standards and certifications (IEC, ATEX, ISO).
• Protect product testing integrity and certification compliance.
• Ensure full compliance with Health & Safety regulations.
• Promote a zero-harm safety culture.

Skills

Operational leadership

Gross margin improvement

Manufacturing experience

Production planning

Lean/CI

Financial literacy

Engineering background

Accountability

People development

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Engineering qualification desirable

Job description

Why choose us?

BRUSH Group provides the energy solutions that help power our built world. From power transformers to switchgear and engineering solutions, for generations, the BRUSH brand has stood for engineering excellence. We are committed to supporting the global effort for industrial decarbonisation and sustainable development and have set ambitious objectives to achieve our target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. What's the role?

The Business Operations Manager oversees day-to-day activities within the organisation to ensure efficient, effective operational performance. They will define, implement, and maintain an integrated operational process that will provide the necessary functional departmental collaboration, including production, quality, procurement, services, engineering, finance, and resource allocation. The role leads Production, Planning, Operational Supply Chain, and Stores while maintaining the highest SHE and Quality standards to ensure the efficient, margin-accretive delivery of all customer orders.

Key Responsibilities

• To lead the Production, Testing, Planning & Scheduling, Stores, Supply Chain and Manufacturing Engineering teams, ensuring resources are organised and aligned to deliver the production plan safely, efficiently and profitably.
• To ensure On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) delivery performance meets or exceeds agreed targets.
• To maintain full visibility of backlog, work-in-progress and production loading.
• To be accountable for manufacturing gross margin performance.
• To strengthen supplier performance, reliability and risk management.
• To reduce exposure to long-lead and single-source components.
• To improve inventory control and stock turns.
• To lead Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• To implement structured problem-solving tools (5S, 5 Whys, Root Cause Analysis, FMEA, Kanban).
• To establish measurable productivity and cost-saving targets.
• To ensure all manufactured products meet required industry standards and certifications (e.g., IEC, ATEX, ISO and others as applicable).
• To protect product testing integrity and certification compliance.
• To ensure full compliance with Health & Safety regulations.
• To promote a zero-harm safety culture.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in senior operational leadership within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience improving gross margin and operational efficiency.
• Experience in engineered-to-order manufacturing preferred.
• Strong understanding of production planning and capacity modelling.
• Experience implementing Lean methodologies and structured CI programmes.
• Financial literacy with understanding of cost drivers and margin management.
• Engineering qualification desirable or significant relevant experience.
• Drives Accountability
• Develops and Engages Employees
• Encourages Operational Excellence
• Collaborates Across Functions

We are a private, family owned engineering company founded in 1950's specialising in the design and manufacture of instrument transformers, both current and voltage transformers. Combined with the extensive design knowledge of instrument transformers this allowed the company to develop a reputation not only as a manufacturer of product, but also as the provider of a technical support service to guide and assist customers in the determination of the correct instrument transformer solution for their needs.