Plant Operations Leader — Lean, CI & Safety

Unilin; Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fringe benefits

Career opportunities

Training options

Opportunities abroad

Job summary

Unilin is seeking an Operations Manager for our Chesterfield plant to lead Production, Technical and Maintenance teams. You will drive continuous improvement and ensure safety, quality and customer satisfaction while delivering world-class operational performance.

You will coach cross-functional teams, manage KPIs, and collaborate with the broader Unilin group to align on strategic objectives and best practices. This permanent role runs Monday to Friday on site.

Qualifications

• Engineering/manufacturing degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in a Production/Engineering Manager role in manufacturing.
• Experience implementing lean and continuous improvement methods.
• Proven KPI delivery through root cause analysis and actions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to manage production, technical, and maintenance ops.
• Experience handling workplace challenges and decisions.
• Collaborative, proactive leadership and talent development.
• Ability to promote data-driven decision making.
• Proficient with MS Office and SAP or similar ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop site operations teams: Production, Technical, Maintenance.
• Ensure compliance with EH&S, quality, and ISO standards across the site.
• Drive continuous improvement and CI initiatives to meet KPI targets.
• Coach cross-functional teams and align with site and group goals.
• Manage KPIs to meet customer requirements and on-time delivery.
• Develop maintenance best practices and preventive programs (PPM/TPM/RCM).
• Oversee line trials, stock management, and process improvements.
• Foster a culture of problem solving and reliability across teams.
• Lead CAPEX investments and technological updates as needed.
• Collaborate with IRL/UK sites on group-wide initiatives.

Skills

Engineering/Manufacturing

5+ years experience

Lean manufacturing

KPI analysis

Communication skills

Production management

Maintenance management

Employee development

Analytical thinking

MS Office / SAP

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Job description

Unilin is seeking an Operations Manager for our Chesterfield plant to lead Production, Technical and Maintenance teams. You will drive continuous improvement and ensure safety, quality and customer satisfaction while delivering world-class operational performance.

You will coach cross-functional teams, manage KPIs, and collaborate with the broader Unilin group to align on strategic objectives and best practices. This permanent role runs Monday to Friday on site.