Operations Manager

iO Associates - UK/EU; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in the UK is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to oversee critical day-to-day operations and drive efficiency across workshop and site-based services. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in mechanical engineering, experience in managing operational teams, and a focus on health & safety. This full-time role offers the chance to make a significant impact within a well-established business.

Qualifications

• Strong background in mechanical engineering, particularly with industrial equipment.
• Experience managing teams in manufacturing or engineering environments.
• Knowledge of job costing and workflow planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across workshop and site services.
• Oversee production planning and resource allocation.
• Enforce health & safety and quality procedures.

Skills

Background in mechanical engineering

Experience in managing operational teams

Understanding of job costing

Leadership skills

Health & Safety focus

Job description

Overview

We're seeking an experienced Operations Manager to join our client's engineering business, leading critical day-to-day operations while delivering impactful improvements across workshop and site-based services. This hands-on, high-accountability role is ideally suited to someone with a strong background in mechanical engineering, particularly in industrial pumps, motors, gearboxes, and rotating equipment. You'll drive efficiency, margin improvement, workflow, and team leadership across the full job life-cycle from quotation through to delivery.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading operations across workshop, site services, and engineering teams
• Overseeing production planning, work-flow, and resource allocation
• Ensuring high-quality delivery of repairs and refurbishments of pumps, motors, and gear systems
• Managing job costing, margins, labour planning, and customer delivery standards
• Implementing and enforcing health & safety, quality, and compliance procedures
• Driving a culture of continuous improvement, with lean methodology and best practice at the core
• Liaising with internal stakeholders including Sales, Admin, and Project Engineers to align business objectives

What You'll Bring

• A strong background in mechanical engineering - ideally in repair, maintenance, and overhaul of industrial equipment
• Experience managing operational teams in manufacturing, servicing, or engineering workshop environments
• Solid understanding of job costing, scheduling, labour management, and work-flow planning
• Working knowledge of equipment, including pumps, gearboxes, and motors
• Strong leadership skills - able to motivate, delegate, and develop multi-skilled teams
• A pragmatic, solutions-driven mindset with an eye for margin and delivery performance
• Health & Safety and Quality focus with a commitment to industry standards

This Operations Manager role offers a fantastic opportunity to lead and influence operational performance in a well-established engineering business. You'll have the autonomy to make decisions, the support of an experienced leadership team, and the chance to make a visible, lasting impact in a technically specialised environment.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Engineering, Manufacturing, and Project Management

Industries

• Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing
• Fabricated Metal Products
• Industrial Machinery Manufacturing