Operations Director - Smart Manufacturing

Vicon Motion Systems Ltd.; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm is seeking an Operations Director for Smart Manufacturing in Gloucester. The candidate will oversee logistics, quality, and operations, ensuring compliance and driving team performance. Key requirements include a degree in engineering and extensive experience in manufacturing environments. The role promises a competitive salary, 25 days holiday, and health insurance, amidst a dynamic technology hub.

Benefits

Competitive salary

25 Days holiday allowance + Bank holidays

Permanent Health Insurance

Free On-site Parking with EV charging points

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level with compelling experience in manufacturing or precision environments.
• Must have a proven track record in driving delivery functions.
• Experience managing installation and calibration engineers.

Responsibilities

• Manage the performance and growth of the Division.
• Ensure compliance with ISO standards and quality processes.
• Lead a team across Operations, Service, Production, and Quality.

Skills

Hands-on approach

Leadership

Excellent communication

Operations management

Understanding precision engineering

Education

Degree in Engineering

Job description

Operations Director - Smart Manufacturing

Department: Oxford Metrics

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Barnwood, Gloucester.

Reporting To: Simon Gunter

Description

Oxford Metrics Plc brings together two pioneering companies, Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) and The Sempre Group (Sempre), into one powerful Smart Manufacturing division. Together, we are redefining how the world’s leading manufacturers design, measure, inspect, and optimise their production processes.

IVS is a global leader in machine vision systems, inspection technologies, and AI-powered solutions. With hundreds of systems installed worldwide, IVS has earned a reputation for precision, innovation, and trust, driving factory automation across sectors from medical devices to advanced electronics.

Sempre is a measurement and metrology specialist supporting industries including aerospace, automotive, energy, and precision engineering. Through expert consultancy, advanced equipment, and digitalisation services, Sempre helps manufacturers increase productivity, improve efficiency, and embrace automation across quality and production processes.

Now, as part of Oxford Metrics Plc, IVS and Sempre together form a single division at the forefront of Smart Manufacturing. From cutting-edge vision inspection to world-class measurement and data-driven process control, we offer a complete ecosystem of solutions for blue-chip customers across the globe.

Role Summary:

We are now seeking a high-calibre individual that will help us grow to the next level. We want someone who has been there, done it, and knows what it takes to build, scale and carry people along with them by communicating successfully and being clear in their direction.

Reporting to the MD Smart Manufacturing Division, you will be a member of the senior team charged with the performance and growth of the Division – meeting metrics for financial performance, delivery of products and services, customer support and service, and establishing superior modes of working across the Division and across sites. Charged with delivering outstanding performance and setting the standards for all to meet.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities / duties will include, but may not be limited to:

• Management:
  • Logistics and Fulfilment – ensure that elements of orders are scheduled and delivered to meet expectations set internally and with clients
  • Distributors – work with supply partners to ensure delivery to agreed timescales, and maintain a positive dialogue in keeping things on track
  • Service and Support – manage the team of engineers engaged in Installation, Calibration, Repair, Maintenance and Customer Support in adherence with deliverables and established service contracts
  • Quality – responsibility for quality processes, conformance and adherence to recognised ISO standards and other market accreditations
  • Supply Chain – assist in the selection of partners for elements of our solutions, forecasting deliverables and driving performance of the supply chain to meet our requirements of specification, timing and cost
  • Buildings and Facilities – responsible for the specification, upkeep and housekeeping of the buildings across the Division’s sites in the UK and Ireland, and ownership of our requirements as we scale
  • IT / Security / H&S – co-ordinating with Group IT and other central functions, ensure we are operating effectively and in conformance with agreed practices
  • Vehicles – implement the structure and commercial realisation of fleet and company car management for the Division
  • Risk – maintain a Divisional risk register to ensure that the business is informed of risks to our operations, and advise accordingly on any required mitigations or actions as a result
• Driving Change / Structure:
  • Quoting and Margin Management – ensuring accuracy of quotes for elements of service relating to bids, and the delivery of successful bids to quoted costs and margins – minimising any incremental costs and rework
  • Order to Revenue Conversion – take responsibility for the order specification and timely conversion of orders to revenue within the division: setting KPIs; ensuring clarity and definition of deliverables; and the accurate forecasting of lead times agreed with clients
  • Projects to Products – have a mindset of maximising the output of development projects – build one, sell many. Help drive the business towards Productisation and repeat sales
  • Communicate – structure team meetings with relevant personnel to maintain a delivery cadence that drives the business
  • Monitor and Report – track performance to targets, delivering against costs and margins. Establish routine reports and KPIs to track performance and ensure continual improvement
  • Collaborate – work with internal Sales and Technical / Engineering teams, to ensure coherence of offer, setting client expectations with clarity and to agreed deliverables and standards
  • Lead – Manage a team of people across Operations, Service, Production and Quality. Hold a key presence within the management team and manage upwards
  • Build – be prepared to establish the operational aspects behind the growth engine of the business

Required Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Educated to degree level in an Engineering discipline with compelling experience in Manufacturing / Precision / Quality environments in Metrology and/or Vision disciplines.

• Must be a demonstrably hands-on person who is willing to roll up their sleeves to get the job done.
• A leader in the business, the leader of the team, and – importantly – also a member of the team. Someone for whom no job is too small
• An Operations professional who may have a background in Logistics, Supply Chain, Delivery, Projects or any aspect relating to the successful operation and scaling of a business in an Engineering environment that is driven by specification, exactness, quality, high frequency production and micrometre precision
• Proven track record of creating and driving a Delivery function, growing a business and structuring the processes that ensure effective performance.
• Experience of managing ‘at the coalface’ with installation and calibration engineers – you must understand the language of precision engineering
• It goes without saying that you must be an excellent communicator, but we are also looking for someone who can communicate clearly, concisely and show detailed information simply so that it may be understood quickly by a range of audiences. There is a skill to clarity – we would like you to have it.

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a dynamic, high-growth organisation with innovation at its core. Based across our sites at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus near Oxford and Barnwood in Gloucester, you will be in the heart of a thriving technology hub where collaboration, creativity, and breakthroughs happen every day.

Whether your passion lies in machine vision, automation, measurement, advanced manufacturing, or artificial intelligence, here you’ll find the opportunity to shape the factories of the future.

Be part of a team where your ideas can transform industries. Together, we’re not just keeping pace with technological change—we’re driving it.

Join us and build a smarter, more innovative tomorrow.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• 25 Days holiday allowance + Bank holidays
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Free On-site Parking, with EV charging points

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer