Operations Manager

Thompson Aero; Portadown; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Thompson Aero Seating in United Kingdom is seeking an Operations Manager to lead Assembly operations across value streams. You will drive safety, quality, cost and productivity improvements, and develop the workforce through training and succession planning.

You will translate strategy into actionable plans for leads, oversee day-to-day performance, and ensure capacity meets demand while embedding a culture of continuous improvement and lean excellence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of production leadership in manufacturing.
• Experience leading managers and large teams.
• Deep knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and CI.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across Assembly value streams and meet safety, quality, cost and productivity targets.
• Translate strategy into clear plans for Operations Leads and teams.
• Oversee day-to-day Assembly performance and capacity planning.
• Develop workforce capability through training and succession planning.
• Lead standard work development and cross-functional collaboration.
• Monitor KPIs and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Operational Excellence

Production planning

Resource management

Budget management

KPIs

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations Management

ILM Level 7 Leadership and Management

Lean/CI/Operational Excellence certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Earnings: Salary discussed on application

The post holder will be responsible for leading and developing Assembly Operations across assigned value streams, ensuring the effective delivery of safety, quality, cost, delivery, productivity and people objectives.

A key focus of the role is developing operational capability through effective workforce planning, learning and development, cross-skilling and succession planning, while ensuring Assembly processes are standardised, efficient and capable of supporting current and future business requirements.

Working closely with the Operations Assembly team and cross-functional stakeholders, the Operations Manager will drive operational excellence, capacity improvement, Lean Manufacturing and a culture of continuous improvement across Assembly Operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across assigned Assembly value streams, ensuring achievement of agreed safety, quality, cost, delivery, productivity and people objectives.


• Translate Assembly strategy and business priorities into clear operational plans and objectives for Operations Leads and their teams.


• Maintain oversight of day-to-day Assembly performance


• Hold Operations Leads accountable for effective management and performance of their respective value streams.


• Identify operational constraints and work with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely resolution.


• Support in ensuring Operations Assembly have the capability and capacity required to meet current and forecast customer demand.


• Ensure Health, Safety and Wellbeing are embedded as fundamental priorities


• Maintain oversight of production planning, workflow and operational priorities across assigned Assembly value streams.


• Ensure resources and capacity are effectively aligned with production schedules and customer requirements.


• Work with Operations Leads and Planning to identify and address constraints affecting production


• Lead, coach and develop teams to ensure clarity and consistency of roles, responsibilities and leadership expectations across Assembly value streams.


• Establish a high-performance culture based on accountability, employee engagement, continuous improvement and operational excellence.


• Hold Operations Leads accountable for effective leadership and performance of their teams


• Drive improvement in productivity, cost, delivery and operational efficiency across Assembly value streams.


• Lead the creation, implementation and ongoing development of standard work across Assembly Operations.


• Provide leadership in resolving significant or recurring operational issues across Assembly value streams.


• Develop strong collaborative relationships with all internal functions.


• Monitor safety, quality, cost, delivery, productivity, people and continuous improvement KPIs.


• Hold Operations Leads accountable for achievement of agreed operational targets.

Requirements

• 5+ years management experience with responsibility for a production area or multiple value streams.


• Demonstrable experience leading managers, team lead and/or significant numbers of direct and indirect employees within a manufacturing environment.


• In-depth working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement and process improvement methodologies.


• Strong understanding of production, capacity planning, resource management and operational performance.


• Experience of developing employee capability through training, coaching, cross-skilling and structured development.


• Experience of establishing and maintaining standard work and consistent operational processes.


• Demonstrable experience of achieving safety, quality, production, delivery, cost and productivity targets.


• Experience of managing budgets and operational costs.


• Strong experience of using KPIs and operational data to drive performance improvement.


• Experience of working collaboratively across multiple business functions.


• Experience of engaging with customers, regulators and/or suppliers.


• Strong IT capability, including Microsoft Office and relevant production or business systems.


• Understanding of NPI processes and their interaction with manufacturing operations


• Bachelor's degree (level 6) in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management (or equivalent in experience)


• ILM Level 7 Leadership and Management qualification or equivalent.


• Recognised Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement or Operational Excellence certification.

We reserve theright to enhance criteria on shortlisting.

Thompson Aero Seating is an Equal Opportunities employer.

The closing date for applications is the 25th October 2026 at 17:00.