Operations Director

The People Pod; Bamber Bridge; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The People Pod is seeking an experienced Operations Director to lead its day-to-day operations in the North West. You will drive performance, align teams and deliver sustainable growth across manufacturing, production and logistics.

Reporting to the leadership team, you’ll establish clear measures, manage budgets and develop the operation through hands-on leadership, listening to the team and turning improvements into results.

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading people in a demanding operational environment.
• Experience in manufacturing, production, engineering, logistics or similar.
• Strong commercial awareness with budget and resource management.
• Decisive, approachable leadership that drives change.

Responsibilities

• Leading operational teams and developing confident, accountable managers.
• Improving productivity, quality, service and cost control.
• Planning capacity and resources to meet customer demand.
• Establishing clear performance measures and following through on actions.
• Identifying bottlenecks and reducing waste, downtime and avoidable cost.
• Maintaining a strong focus on health, safety and compliance.
• Working closely with commercial and finance colleagues to support profitable growth.
• Bringing structure and consistency while keeping the business responsive.

Skills

Leadership

Operational management

Budget management

Continuous improvement

Job description

Operations Director

North West | Competitive salary | Full time, permanent

Lead the operation. Develop the team. Deliver the next stage of growth.

An established business is looking to appoint an experienced Operations Director to lead its day-to-day operations and strengthen performance as it grows.

This is a senior appointment with practical responsibility. You'll work closely with the leadership team, bringing clear direction to the operation, supporting managers and ensuring the business delivers safely, efficiently and consistently.

We're looking for someone who enjoys being close to the work: understanding what happens on the ground, listening to the team and turning improvement plans into results.

The opportunity

You’ll take ownership of operational performance, balancing immediate delivery priorities with the people, processes and planning needed for sustainable growth.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading operational teams and developing confident, accountable managers.
• Improving productivity, quality, service and cost control.
• Planning capacity and resources to meet customer demand.
• Establishing clear performance measures and following through on actions.li>
• Identifying bottlenecks and reducing waste, downtime and avoidable cost.
• Maintaining a strong focus on health, safety and compliance.
• Working closely with commercial and finance colleagues to support profitable growth.
• Bringing structure and consistency while keeping the business responsive.

About you

You may already be an Operations Director or an experienced Head of Operations ready to take broader responsibility.

You'll bring:

• A track record of leading people and improving performance in a demanding operational environment.
• Experience within manufacturing, production, engineering, logistics or a comparable setting.
• Strong commercial awareness and confidence managing budgets and resources.
• Evidence of delivering measurable improvements and making them stick.
• A straightforward, approachable leadership style.
• The confidence to make decisions, address underperformance and support your team through change.You’ll be comfortable moving between the wider business picture and the detail of daily delivery. You’ll set clear expectations, build trust and take responsibility for results.

Why consider the role?

This is an opportunity to shape an operation, develop its people and make a visible contribution to the business's future. You’ll work closely with senior leadership and have meaningful ownership of operational delivery and improvement.