Operations Manager (Fixed Term Contract)

iO Associates; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering company is seeking a hands-on Operations Manager for a fixed-term contract. The role involves overseeing day-to-day operations, driving efficiency, and ensuring high-quality service delivery across workshop and site-based services. Ideal candidates will have a strong mechanical engineering background and proven leadership experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in repair, maintenance, and overhaul of industrial equipment.
• Experience managing operational teams in manufacturing or engineering environments.
• Understanding of job costing, scheduling, and labor management.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across workshop, site services, and engineering teams.
• Manage job costing, margins, and customer delivery standards.
• Ensure high-quality delivery of repairs and refurbishments.

Skills

Leadership

Health & Safety focus

Problem-solving

Lean methodology

Education

Background in mechanical engineering

Tools

Manufacturing equipment

Pumps

Gearboxes

Motors

Job description

Fixed-Term Opportunity: Operations Manager - Mechanical Engineering

We're seeking an experienced Operations Manager to join our clients engineering business on a 12-month fixed-term contract, leading critical day-to-day operations while delivering impactful improvements across workshop and site-based services.

This is a hands-on, high-accountability role at the heart of our business , it is ideally suited to someone with a strong background in mechanical engineering, particularly in industrial pumps, motors, gearboxes, and rotating equipment. You'll be responsible for driving efficiency, margin improvement, work-flow, 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 fixed-term 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.