Operations Manager

ZipRecruiter; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-established engineering company in Haywards Heath is looking for a responsible Project Coordinator to manage engineering, purchasing, and production activities. The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background and experience in project management. Key benefits include a competitive salary, a flexible work schedule, and opportunities for career progression.

Benefits

8% employer pension contribution

Annual performance-related bonus

Company mobile phone and laptop

Optional private medical healthcare

Death-in-service benefit

Strong opportunities for career progression

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a similar role.
• Experience in the packaging sector is desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate engineering, purchasing, and production teams for project delivery.
• Manage projects from order to delivery while liaising with departments.
• Monitor key performance indicators for production targets.

Skills

Strong engineering/technical background

Project management experience

Ability to diagnose technical issues

Highly organised

Professional communication skills

Full clean UK driving licence

Job description

Overview

A long-established, family-owned business, our group consists of several specialist engineering companies that design and manufacture a wide range of laboratory, process, and packaging equipment. With a global customer base spanning small independents through to multinational corporations, we employ over 100 staff across modern, purpose-built facilities in the South East of England.

Responsibilities

• Reporting directly to the Operations Director, this position provides key support in coordinating engineering, purchasing, and production teams to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to a high standard.
• Manage and oversee projects from order through to delivery, liaising with all relevant departments.
• Deliver projects to agreed deadlines and budgets.
• Lead project initiation meetings to establish realistic schedules and expectations.
• Coordinate activities across Engineering, Purchasing, and Production to align with agreed timelines.
• Develop and maintain production plans and charts, ensuring visibility of key stages to all stakeholders, including customers.
• Plan and organise machine build stages and production floor layouts to optimise capacity and output.
• Chair regular project and operations meetings to track progress and resolve issues promptly.
• Promote continuous communication across departments to drive ongoing improvements.
• Support production planning to increase on-time, right-first-time delivery.
• Act as a liaison with senior management and directors, providing updates on engineering and production performance.
• Monitor key performance indicators to ensure production targets are achieved.
• Communicate with customers and sales staff regarding project progress, deadlines, and meetings.
• Coordinate with the service team on machinery completion and dispatch, ensuring installations are scheduled effectively.

Qualifications

• Strong engineering/technical background with experience in a similar role.
• Proven experience in project management and team coordination.
• Ability to diagnose technical issues and resolve faults.
• Highly organised with strong planning skills.
• Professional communication skills, both face-to-face and over the phone.
• Full clean UK driving licence.
• Experience in the packaging sector is desirable but not essential.

Salary & Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Based in modern offices and workshop facilities in West Sussex
• 35 hours per week, with some flexibility in working hours when required
• 8% employer pension contribution.
• Annual performance-related bonus.
• Annual pay review.
• Company mobile phone and laptop.
• Optional private medical healthcare.
• Death-in-service benefit.
• Strong opportunities for career progression.

Bennett & Game Recruitment are acting as a Recruitment Agency in relation to this vacancy.