Operations Manager

D R Newitt Recruitment; Livingston; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

DR Newitt Recruitment is partnering with a leading engineering and manufacturing organisation in Livingston to appoint an experienced Operations Manager. This is a hands-on, technically demanding leadership role focused on improving safety, quality, delivery and cost.

You will guide a medium-sized team, shape operational plans and drive performance across multiple functions, delivering sustained improvements in productivity and profitability within a heavy engineering environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a medium-sized operational or manufacturing team.
• Strong understanding of safety, quality, delivery and cost.
• Proven track record in driving continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across the manufacturing operation and direct a medium-sized team.
• Develop and implement operational plans to hit business and customer objectives.
• Take ownership of performance against key measures: safety, quality, delivery and cost.
• Manage budgets, resources and expenditure and drive cost reductions.
• Lead root-cause investigations and structured problem-solving initiatives.
• Collaborate with maintenance, quality, logistics and other departments to improve asset performance.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Operational performance

Data analysis

Problem-solving

Communication

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent

Job description

Livingston | Heavy Engineering & Manufacturing

DR Newitt is working with a leading engineering and manufacturing organisation to recruit an experienced Operations Manager to take responsibility for a key operational function within their Livingston facility.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established operations or manufacturing leader who enjoys working in a hands-on, technically demanding environment and wants to play a pivotal role in improving business performance, developing people and driving operational excellence.

You'll have the autonomy and responsibility to influence Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost, leading teams and ensuring operational objectives are achieved through effective planning, leadership and continuous improvement.

Why Consider This Role?

• Take ownership of operational performance, with responsibility for driving improvements across Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost.
• Lead and develop a skilled team, creating a culture of accountability, engagement and high performance.
• Drive operational excellence, identifying opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and overall business performance.
• Influence business strategy, supporting the development and implementation of operational plans.
• Work within a technically challenging engineering environment, ideal for someone with a strong engineering or manufacturing background.
• Manage operational resources and budgets, ensuring effective utilisation and sustainable cost control.
• Champion continuous improvement, using performance data, structured problem-solving and measurable objectives.
• Develop your people, identifying training requirements and building capability across the operation.
• Work cross-functionally, collaborating with engineering, maintenance, quality, logistics and other departments.
• Play a key leadership role within an established and respected engineering and manufacturing organisation.

The Role

As Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the effective management and performance of manufacturing operations, ensuring that business objectives, customer requirements, quality standards and financial targets are consistently achieved.

You'll provide leadership across the operation, ensuring people, processes and resources are aligned to deliver against key performance indicators while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and profitability.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Providing overall leadership and direction across the manufacturing operation.
• Leading, developing and motivating a medium-sized operational team.
• Developing and implementing operational plans to achieve business and customer objectives.
• Taking ownership of performance against key measures, including Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost.
• Managing operational resources, budgets and expenditure.
• Driving improvements in productivity, efficiency, Right First Time (RFT) and overall performance.
• Leading root-cause investigations and structured problem-solving activities.
• Identifying and implementing sustainable cost-reduction and process-improvement initiatives.
• Ensuring robust Health & Safety and environmental standards are maintained.
• Developing a strong performance culture through effective communication, team briefings and regular performance reviews.
• Identifying training and development requirements and building capability within the team.
• Working closely with maintenance teams to reduce equipment downtime and improve asset performance.
• Using operational data and performance measures to identify areas for improvement.
• Maintaining effective communication across departments and shifts.
• Supporting wider business strategy and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensuring all operational and final processing activities meet required product and customer specifications.

About You

We're looking for an experienced operational leader who can combine strong people-management capabilities with sound technical, commercial and operational knowledge.

You'll ideally have:

• Around 5 years' experience within a manufacturing, engineering or production environment.
• Proven experience managing and developing a medium-sized operational or manufacturing team.
• A strong understanding of operational performance, particularly Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost.
• A technical or engineering background, with the ability to operate confidently within a heavy engineering environment.
• Experience managing operational budgets, resources and delivering sustainable cost reductions.
• A proven track record of implementing process, system or business improvements.
• The ability to develop clear, measurable action plans and deliver against operational objectives.
• Strong data analysis, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, leadership and people-management abilities.
• Experience delivering change and improving performance within a challenging or high-pressure manufacturing environment.

Experience within heavy engineering would be particularly advantageous, while knowledge of metallurgy, NDT and logistics would also be desirable.

You will be a confident and credible leader who can bring people with you. We're looking for someone with a proactive, can-do attitude, strong integrity and a genuine interest in developing people and improving operational performance.

Most importantly, you'll enjoy being close to the operation, taking ownership, solving problems and creating an environment where people and processes can perform at their best.