Operations Manager

Holt Executive Ltd; Horsham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Holt Executive Ltd. in Horsham, West Sussex, seeks a proactive Operations Manager to lead manufacturing and engineering operations in a complex environment.

You will plan, coordinate and control processes to meet customer demand, safety, quality and cost targets. You will develop capacity plans, monitor KPIs, remove bottlenecks and drive continuous improvement with cross-functional teams across Programme, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality and Finance.

Qualifications

• Experience in an Operations Manager or equivalent in a complex manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of processes, workflow optimisation and performance management.
• Proven capability to lead diverse teams through daily delivery and change.
• Experience with continuous-improvement tools like Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operational activity to meet lead times, quality standards and cost targets.
• Develop capacity and resource plans across people, facilities, equipment and space.
• Monitor KPIs and lead actions to improve productivity, quality and delivery performance.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement practical solutions to improve throughput.
• Ensure assets, equipment and facilities are maintained and safe; develop team capability.
• Collaborate with Programme Leads, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality and Manufacturing to support objectives.

Skills

Operational leadership

Manufacturing management

Capacity planning

Lean / Six Sigma

KPI analysis

Stakeholder management

Change management

Education

Manufacturing/Engineering degree

Tools

MRP/ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Operations Manager

Location: Horsham, West Sussex

Salary: Dependent on Experience

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent

We are seeking a proactive, hands‑on Operations Manager to lead manufacturing and operational activity within a complex engineering environment.

This is a key leadership role with responsibility for planning, coordinating and controlling operational processes across a defined programme area. You will ensure products, spares and repairs are delivered safely, on time, to the required quality standards and within agreed cost targets.

Working closely with Programme, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Manufacturing and Industrialisation teams, you will drive productivity, capacity planning, performance improvement and operational excellence.

The Role

As Operations Manager, you will lead day‑to‑day delivery across your programme scope, ensuring the right people, materials, equipment, space and processes are in place to meet customer demand.

You will use KPI data to identify issues and improvement opportunities, resolve operational bottlenecks, develop capability within the team and champion a culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement.

This role will suit an experienced manufacturing or engineering operations professional who combines strong leadership with a practical approach to planning, problem‑solving and performance management.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily operational activity to ensure products, spares and repairs are delivered to agreed lead times, quality standards and cost targets.
• Develop capacity and resource plans, identifying the people, materials, facilities, equipment and space required to meet delivery commitments.
• Work with the Operational Excellence Manager to support resource planning, performance management, continuous improvement and team‑development activity.
• Monitor operational KPIs and lead actions to improve productivity, quality, delivery performance, efficiency and utilisation.
• Identify operational constraints, bottlenecks and risks, implementing practical solutions to improve throughput and quality.
• Ensure assets, equipment and facilities are maintained, available and operating effectively.
• Lead, coach and develop a diverse, flexible operations team, identifying training, competence and development needs.
• Maintain high standards of health and safety for employees and visitors, ensuring relevant procedures, processes and legal requirements are followed.
• Work closely with Programme Leads, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing and Industrialisation Engineering to support business and customer objectives.
• Ensure manufacturing and operational activity complies with company policy, industry standards, regulatory requirements and quality expectations.
• Provide operational insight, data and recommendations to leadership to support strategic planning and decision‑making.
• Ensure service levels and customer expectations are consistently met or exceeded.
• Resolve escalated operational issues promptly, using a structured and data‑led approach.
• Support Programme Leads with customer collaboration, engagement, planning and delivery discussions.
• Act as a change champion within Operations, helping to embed improved processes, systems and ways of working.

About You

You will be an organised and resilient Operations Manager with experience leading manufacturing, production or engineering operations in a complex and dynamic environment.

You will be confident working at pace, balancing daily delivery requirements with longer‑term improvement activity. You will bring strong people leadership, effective stakeholder management and the ability to collaborate across all functions of a business.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience in an Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Production Manager or similar operational leadership role within a complex manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of operational processes, workflow optimisation, capacity planning and performance management.
• Experience leading diverse operational or manufacturing teams through daily delivery, change and improvement activity.
• Practical experience using continuous‑improvement tools and methodologies, such as Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma.
• Strong analytical capability, with experience using KPI data, operational reporting and performance metrics to identify issues and drive improvement.
• Experience developing capacity, resource and production plans.
• Experience working with MRP and/or ERP systems.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, PowerPoint and reporting tools.
• A relevant manufacturing, engineering or operational‑management degree, or equivalent experience gained within a complex manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of health and safety responsibilities within a manufacturing or operational setting.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels of an organisation.
• Strong stakeholder‑management and relationship‑building skills across Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, Manufacturing and Programme functions.