Operations Director

The People Pod; Preston; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The People Pod in Preston, United Kingdom, is seeking an experienced Operations Director to lead day-to-day operations, boost performance and support growth. This senior role requires close collaboration with the leadership team, translating strategic plans into on-the-ground results and ensuring safe, efficient delivery across the operation.

You’ll balance immediate delivery priorities with the people, processes and planning needed for sustainable expansion, while safeguarding quality and cost

Qualifications

• You'll have a track record of leading people and improving performance in a demanding operational environment.
• You bring experience in manufacturing, production, engineering, logistics or a comparable setting.
• You demonstrate strong commercial awareness and confidence managing budgets and resources.
• You have evidence of delivering measurable improvements and making them stick.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational teams and develop confident, accountable managers.
• Improve productivity, quality, service and cost control.
• Plan capacity and resources to meet customer demand.
• Establish clear performance measures and follow through on actions.
• Identify bottlenecks and reduce waste, downtime and avoidable cost.
• Maintain a strong focus on health, safety and compliance.
• Work closely with commercial and finance colleagues to support profitable growth.
• Bring structure and consistency while keeping the business responsive.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Budget management

Change leadership

Job description

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.
• 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.