Operations & Engineering Manager

ELIS

Fakenham

On-site

GBP 80,000 - 110,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Company Pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Life Assurance

33 Days Holiday

Private Medical

Annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Elis is seeking a senior leader to drive operational excellence across production and engineering at its Fakenham site. You will champion a lean culture, align site performance with the business plan, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver safe, efficient and cost-effective operations.

You will shape site strategy with the General Manager, manage budgets and drive continuous improvement, safety, and compliance across functions.

Qualifications

Strong leadership and people management capability.
Excellent communication and influencing skills at all levels.
Commercial awareness with strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
Ability to plan, prioritise and deliver in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach and develop high-performing teams across operations and engineering.
Manage performance, absence, training, and employee engagement.
Deliver technical training for operators and engineering teams on new equipment and processes.
Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement programmes.
Lead environmental initiatives including energy reductions.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Commercial awareness

Planning & delivery

IT literacy

Strategic thinking

Job description

Fakenham
Full-time
Permanent

About Elis

About a career with Elis

Elis is an international leader in textile, hygiene and facility services, helping businesses across a wide range of industries to operate safely, sustainably and efficiently. With a presence in 29 countries and a team of around 52,000 people, we combine the scale and stability of an international organisation with the opportunity to build a rewarding and long-term career.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do.

We believe in investing in our people, recognising their contribution and giving them the opportunity to develop, progress and build careers they can be proud of.

At Elis, you'll be part of a culture built on trust, respect and collaboration, where your ideas and contribution are valued. We want our people to have a voice, and our commitment to listening and acting on employee feedback was recognised when Elis UK won Best Employee Engagement Experience Initiative at the 2024 CIPD People Management Awards for our Employee Voice programme.

With opportunities across operations, engineering, logistics, sales and our head office support functions, there are many ways to develop your career with Elis.

The Opportunity

This is a senior leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence across production and engineering, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective site performance aligned with the business plan.

You will lead cross-functional teams, embed a continuous improvement and lean culture, and play a key role in shaping site strategy alongside the General Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

Lead, manage and develop both operations and engineering teams to achieve site objectives
Deputise for the General Manager when required
Support the development and delivery of site strategy, business plans, and capital projects
Build a strong “One Team” culture across production, engineering, logistics and support functions

Operations Management

Drive implementation of Production Essentials and continuous improvement initiatives
Ensure customer deliveries are achieved on time, in full, to quality and cost targets
Forecast volumes and resource requirements aligned to budget and capacity
Monitor performance, analyse trends and implement corrective actions
Manage budgets, cost control, and operational efficiency

Engineering & Maintenance

Lead the engineering function to deliver planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and rapid corrective actions
Oversee installation, maintenance and optimisation of plant, equipment, boilers and steam systems
Ensure engineering resources are effectively planned to support production demands
Manage external suppliers for maintenance, parts, and capital equipment

Health, Safety & Compliance

Ensure full compliance with QHSE policies, legal regulations, COSHH, RIDDOR and GDPR
Drive a strong safety-first culture across all teams
Ensure risk assessments, safe systems of work (SSOW) and training are in place and followed
Maintain relevant site accreditations (e.g. ISO standards where applicable)

People & Performance

Lead, coach and develop high-performing teams across operations and engineering
Manage performance, absence, training, and employee engagement
Deliver technical training for operators and engineering teams on new equipment and processes

Continuous Improvement & Sustainability

Champion lean manufacturing and continuous improvement programmes (e.g. Six Sigma)
Drive improvements in site efficiency, productivity and cost reduction
Lead environmental initiatives including energy and WECO reduction.

What We're Looking For

Experience

Proven leadership experience in operations and/or engineering within a manufacturing or process environment
Strong background in industrial maintenance and production management
Experience managing budgets, KPIs and continuous improvement programmes
Knowledge of steam/boiler systems and engineering operations (highly desirable)
Experience in lean manufacturing / Six Sigma (desirable)

Skills