Operations Manager

Talent-Media ?; East Kilbride; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site parking

Job summary

Talent-Media is seeking a senior operations leader for luxury multi-process production based in East Kilbride, Scotland. You will own production from design to finished product, lead Engraving, Print, Clean Room, Plating and Paint teams, and partner with warehousing, Sales and Commercial to deliver on promises.

You’ll bring technical depth, authority and a track record of developing teams, with the gravitas to engage senior clients and board-level stakeholders while driving continuous

Qualifications

• Senior operations or production professional with multi‑process manufacturing depth.
• Experience with machine improvements and equipment upgrades.
• Strong understanding of print, packaging, and decorative production.
• Commercially minded with ability to translate demand into production plans.
• Gravitas to engage senior clients and board-level discussions.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of production from confirmed design through to finished, quality-approved product.
• Lead teams across Engraving, Print, Clean Room, Plating and Paint.
• Work closely with warehousing to bookend the production process.
• Collaborate with Sales and Commercial to build realistic, well-managed production plans.
• Oversee high-volume glass printing with a focus on print quality and precision.
• Drive machine improvements, site improvements and HS standards.
• Investigate automation and smarter production workflows.
• Embed a right-first-time culture with precision at every stage.
• Represent the business confidently in front of top-tier customers and external stakeholders.
• Work with R&D to maintain and elevate quality standards.

Skills

Senior operations

Leadership

Communication

Commercial awareness

Job description

Some businesses make a product. Others make something the world remembers.

Our client does the latter. A family-run Scottish manufacturer with over 40 years of heritage, their luxury products are sold in more than 60 countries. With over 50 skilled craftspeople and a King's Award for Innovation, this business has earned its reputation and is now ready to push further.

This is a senior hire with a potential clear pathway to the Operations Director role. If you are looking for a role where you can genuinely shape a business, this is it.

The Role

Full ownership of production from confirmed design through to finished, quality-approved product. You will lead teams across Engraving, Print, Clean Room, Plating, and Paint; work closely with warehousing to bookend the production process; and collaborate with Sales and Commercial to ensure what is promised to customers is delivered, every time.

This is a role for someone who carries themselves with authority, can represent the business to high-calibre clients, and has the technical depth to understand a complex, multi-process production environment.

The culture here is genuinely something special. People stay, they care, and they take real pride in what they make. Your job is to add to that, bringing greater consistency, commercial edge and technical rigour while protecting everything that already makes this place great.

The Environment

This is a technically rich and varied production floor covering high-volume glass printing, engraving, and lasering; liquid and electroplating; paint mixing and application; and custom container assembly.

No two customer orders are alike, and the standard expected across the board is luxury.

Understanding print and its intricacies is important here. So is an appreciation for precision manufacturing, packaging, decoration, and how each process interacts with the next. Getting it right from the outset is everything: precision and accuracy upfront, not inspection at the end.

Looking Forward

Our client is investing heavily in the future of their manufacturing operations. You will lead the evaluation and introduction of new technologies, from machine improvements and site upgrades to automation, laser-led processes and smarter end-to-end workflows. You will work closely with research and development, bringing a technical mindset and influence to turn ideas off the page into production reality.

What You'll Be Doing

• Taking full ownership of production from confirmed design through to finished, quality-approved product
• Leading teams across Engraving, Print, Clean Room, Plating and Paint.
• Working closely with warehousing to bookend the production process
• Collaborating with Sales and Commercial to build realistic, well-managed production plans
• Overseeing high-volume glass printing, with a strong understanding of print quality, precision and the intricacies of decorating a premium branded product
• Managing plating processes, including liquid and electroplating, paint mixing, cork/stopper lasering and custom container assembly
• Driving machine improvements, site improvements and H&S standards
• Investigating and introducing automation and smarter production workflows
• Embedding a right-first-time culture with precision and accuracy at every stage
• Representing the business confidently in front of top-tier customers and external stakeholders
• Working alongside research and development to maintain and elevate quality standards
• Implementing pragmatic metrics and controls, focused on what matters, without over-engineering

What We're Looking For

• A senior operations or production professional with genuine technical depth across complex, multi-process manufacturing environments
• Machine/technology understanding. Experience of equipment improvements
• A strong understanding of print, packaging, precision manufacturing or decorative production; experience across plastics, paper, carton print or branded goods is highly relevant
• Hands-on knowledge of plating, paint processes or similar finishing techniques would be a significant advantage
• A track record of developing teams and leaders and building stronger, more consistent operations
• Commercially minded, able to translate sales demand into deliverable production plans
• The gravitas and communication skills to hold their own in front of senior clients and at board level
• Genuine curiosity about new technologies, automation and process innovation
• A safe pair of hands who brings calm authority and long-term thinking

What's On Offer

• A high-impact role reporting directly to a board- level member
• A warm, people-first culture with outstanding loyalty and exceptionally low staff turnover
• The chance to help shape the future of a genuinely world-class luxury product business
• Based in East Kilbride, Glasgow with on-site parking, close to Glasgow