Glass Operations Director

CSG Talent; Essex; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

CSG Talent represents a leading building products manufacturer in the UK seeking a Group Operations Director to oversee manufacturing and operational performance across the Group. You will drive efficiency, integration and growth from a strategic and hands-on stance.

Reporting to the senior leadership team, you will lead the operations across sites, establish KPIs, improve productivity, quality and delivery, and build a high-performance culture with a continuous improvement mindset.

Qualifications

• Senior operations leader with experience in complex manufacturing.
• Proven ability to operate at strategic and hands-on levels.
• Track record in improving productivity, efficiency, quality and profitability.
• Experience leading organisational change and operational transformation.
• Experience integrating or managing operations across multiple sites or businesses.
• Strong people leadership and team development skills.
• Understanding of production planning, supply chain, quality and maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for the Group's operational performance across locations.
• Lead and develop the manufacturing and operational strategy, with KPIs and accountability.
• Drive Lean initiatives, reduce waste and improve capacity utilisation and profitability.
• Coach and develop production, operations, engineering and quality leadership.

Skills

Operations Director level

Multi-site leadership

Lean manufacturing

Productivity improvement

Change management

People leadership

Production planning & supply chain

Job description

Our client is a leading building products manufacturer. The business currently employs approximately 120 people across the Group and generates around £40 million in annual turnover . We are looking for an experienced Group Operations Director to take overall responsibility for the operational performance of the Group, driving efficiency, integration, capacity, quality and continued growth across both businesses.

The Role Reporting directly to the senior leadership team, the Group Operations Director will have overall responsibility for the Group's manufacturing and operational functions. This is a highly visible leadership position, combining strategic group-level responsibility with hands‑on operational leadership . The successful individual will be responsible for ensuring that both businesses operate efficiently while creating greater consistency, collaboration and operational leverage across the Group.

Key Responsibilities

Group Operations

Take overall responsibility for the operational performance of the Group across locations. Lead and develop the Group's manufacturing and operational strategy. Establish clear operational KPIs and drive accountability across both sites. Improve productivity, efficiency, capacity utilisation and profitability. Identify and remove production bottlenecks and operational inefficiencies. Ensure the business consistently meets customer requirements for quality and delivery.

Leadership & People

Lead the Group's operational management teams, with approximately 120 employees across the wider business . Develop and strengthen the existing management structure. Build a high-performance, accountable and collaborative operational culture. Coach and develop Production, Operations, Engineering, Quality and other operational leaders. Ensure effective workforce planning and succession planning across the Group. Promote a strong culture of health, safety, employee engagement and continuous improvement.

Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

Drive Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives. Reduce waste, rework, downtime and unnecessary operational costs. Improve production planning and workflow. Maximise machinery utilisation and manufacturing capacity. Work closely with Engineering and Maintenance to improve equipment reliability. Identify opportunities for automation and technological investment.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for an experienced senior operations leader who has successfully managed a complex manufacturing environment and is capable of operating at both strategic and hands‑on levels.

Ideally, you will have:

• Proven experience at Operations Director, Group Operations Director, Head of Operations or equivalent level .
• Experience managing a sizeable manufacturing operation and multi-functional operational teams.
• A strong track record of improving productivity, efficiency, quality and profitability .
• Experience leading organisational change and operational transformation.
• Experience integrating or managing operations across multiple sites or businesses.
• Strong people leadership and team development skills.
• Strong understanding of production planning, supply chain, quality and maintenance.