Operations Manager

Unilin; Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fringe benefits

Career opportunities

Training options

Opportunities abroad

Job summary

Unilin is seeking an Operations Manager for our Chesterfield plant to lead Production, Technical and Maintenance teams. You will drive continuous improvement and ensure safety, quality and customer satisfaction while delivering world-class operational performance.

You will coach cross-functional teams, manage KPIs, and collaborate with the broader Unilin group to align on strategic objectives and best practices. This permanent role runs Monday to Friday on site.

Qualifications

• Engineering/manufacturing degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in a Production/Engineering Manager role in manufacturing.
• Experience implementing lean and continuous improvement methods.
• Proven KPI delivery through root cause analysis and actions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to manage production, technical, and maintenance ops.
• Experience handling workplace challenges and decisions.
• Collaborative, proactive leadership and talent development.
• Ability to promote data-driven decision making.
• Proficient with MS Office and SAP or similar ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop site operations teams: Production, Technical, Maintenance.
• Ensure compliance with EH&S, quality, and ISO standards across the site.
• Drive continuous improvement and CI initiatives to meet KPI targets.
• Coach cross-functional teams and align with site and group goals.
• Manage KPIs to meet customer requirements and on-time delivery.
• Develop maintenance best practices and preventive programs (PPM/TPM/RCM).
• Oversee line trials, stock management, and process improvements.
• Foster a culture of problem solving and reliability across teams.
• Lead CAPEX investments and technological updates as needed.
• Collaborate with IRL/UK sites on group-wide initiatives.

Skills

Engineering/Manufacturing

5+ years experience

Lean manufacturing

KPI analysis

Communication skills

Production management

Maintenance management

Employee development

Analytical thinking

MS Office / SAP

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Job description

Operations Manager

Chesterfield - Insulation

Your future job

We are currently seeking an Operations Manager to join our plant in Chesterfield. The Operations Manager will be responsible for building, leading, and developing the site operations teams, including Production, Technical Process, and Maintenance. The primary objective of this role is to ensure the effective management of the Production, Technical, and Maintenance departments while consistently meeting customer requirements.

The Operations Manager will oversee day-to-day site activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, health and safety, quality, production, technical, and maintenance standards and procedures. Leading by example, the successful candidate will drive a culture of continuous improvement, challenge the status quo, promote best practice, and deliver world-class operational performance. They will coach and develop multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring alignment with both short-term operational goals and the site's longer-term strategic objectives. Working closely with the wider leadership team, the Operations Manager will play a key role in driving operational excellence and supporting the ongoing success and growth of the Chesterfield site.

This is a permanent position, working Monday to Friday.

Key Attributes

• Engineering/Manufacturing minimum degree qualification and/ or experience.
• Minimum 5 + Years experience working as a Production/ Engineering Manager in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience of implementing lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies, including waste reduction, workflow optimisation, and 6S workplace organisation.
• Proven record of accomplishment in achieving, sustaining, and improving operational KPI’s through root cause analysis and follow through actions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholder at all levels of the organisation. Thus, building employee engagement and culture.
• Strong ability to manage production, technical and maintenance operations effectively while ensuring customer requirements, quality standards, and business objectives are consistently achieved.
• Ability to manage workplace challenges, resolve employee relations issues, and make timely operational decisions.
• Collaborative and proactive team player with a commitment to supporting organisational goals and driving operational excellence.
• Identify, develop and mentor high-potential employees to build leadership capability, support succession planning and prepare talent for future roles.
• Promote a fact-based, analytical approach to decision-making in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating resourcefulness, resilience and a consistently high level of performance.
• Experience in Microsoft Office, SAP, or other ERP systems.
• Proven multitasking ability with systematic approach.

Key Tasks and Duties

• Positively reinforce company leadership values and goals to all employees on an ongoing basis.
• Key part of the role is challenging current practices and KPI performance. Daily implement improvements to our standard operations; so that those standards improve daily.
  • Any appropriate practices that are not standardised – ensure they are proceduralised to improve our future operations / performance.
• Overall management of appropriate KPIs on site to ensure customer requirements are met.
• Responsible for technical processing, foam and chemical activities and their impact on quality, efficiency, and throughput.
  • Develop line trials to improve performance.
  • Stock management.
• Support development of maintenance best practices.
  • Develop PPM TPM CBM and RCM.
  • Excellent problem solving, reliability and Root cause analysis.
  • Learn systems & identify sustainable process improvements.
• Developing and Improving site operations strategies, and implementation of group initiatives.
• Coach a cross functional team of direct reports responsible for manufacturing our products. Ensure flexibility is developed as required.
• Maintain a proactive culture of continuous improvements & best practice throughout the teams. Lead CIs and develop teams to drive CI initiatives.
• Identify KPI improvements and cost savings initiatives with the site management team. Ensure efficient use of resources to achieve appropriate targets.
• Ensuring all operational personnel are trained so that optimum operational performance is achieved.
• Site remains audit ready & in compliance with ISO standards (9001;14001;45001), regulations, and statutory agencies.
• Collaborate with colleagues across IRL & UK sites ‘and’ the insulation division on group wide initiatives to drive and influence positive changes.
• Provide regular updates to Factory Manager, Group Managers & Leadership Team.
• Further develop a high-performing organisation by driving operational excel-lence and overseeing the management of the Production, Technical and Maintenance departments.
  • Embed the Zero Harm culture (health & safety culture and improve H&S performance – frequency/severity).
  • Achieve optimal results in a cost-efficient and high-quality manner. Monitor volumes, cost, quality and overall OEE.
  • Develop our Technical & Production teams so that appropriate KPIs trend positively.
  • Develop our Maintenance processes so that appropriate KPIs and cost management trend positively.
  • Launch CAPEX investments to keep up with the technological innovations.
• Foster a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture aligned with UNILIN's values, supporting employee engagement and retention, and contributing to our position as an employer of choice.
• Create an effective organisational structure. Coach and develop the employees to ensure their competences, skills and expertise are used and developed to the best advantage.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders across Insulation, UNILIN and Mohawk, as well as external partners, promoting a positive image of the organisation.
• Undertake flexible working hours & travel to our sites within Unilin as required.

The appointee may be required to perform other responsibilities as appropriate to the post, from time to time, as reasonably requested. This briefing prospectus which includes the job and person specification will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances. It is not intended to be exhaustive but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the appointed individual will work. #insulation #LI-LK

What can you expect?

Unilin is a fast-growing, profitable and bustling group that is active internationally. Innovation is our driving force. Investing in people, technology and sustainable entrepreneurship is characteristic of our culture.

Unilin thrives thanks to a team of colleagues that pride themselves on professionalism and entrepreneurship.

In exchange for your expertise, creativity and dynamism, Unilin offers an attractive salary supplemented with fringe benefits, career opportunities, challenges abroad and a wide range of training options.

Who are we?

Unilin Group is an international reference in interior design and construction industry solutions with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. With our floors, panels, insulation materials and technologies we are present in the homes and workplaces of millions of people and in public spaces across the globe. Our brands Quick-Step, Pergo and Moduleo probably ring a bell. Every day, some 8,300 employees around the world dig deep to push boundaries and innovate. Want to learn more about us? Then be sure to check out our website.

Contact Lidia Kocemba