Senior Operations Manager

BAE Systems - Saudi Arabia for expatriates; Barrow-in-Furness; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor is seeking a Senior Operations Manager in Barrow-in-Furness to oversee health and safety compliance while managing budgets and driving continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will have an HND in engineering or management, a strong background in operations, and proven leadership in complex projects. This role offers a salary starting at £63,000 plus executive benefits and relocation support.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible health benefits

Qualifications

• Strong background in Engineering and/or Operations.
• Proven track record in delivering complex products.
• Relevant experience in senior management roles.

Responsibilities

• Ensure employee health and safety compliance.
• Manage labour and material budgets.
• Drive and lead continuous improvement efforts.

Skills

Engineering/management knowledge

Management of functional budgets

Nuclear safety culture understanding

Problem-solving ability

Education

HND in engineering/management or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Senior Operations Manager

Location: Barrow-in-Furness. This position will require full time, on site working

Salary: From £63,000 plus executive car allowance and benefits on top

Responsibilities

• You will be responsible for ensuring the Health & Safety of all your employees and also that your area operates in accordance with Company Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
• Provide safety leadership via the SHE management systems and visual management. With this, you will actively promote a safety focus and required improvement activity both for individuals and the team
• Ensure the delivery of the appropriate work area schedule by regularly reviewing, reporting on progress and resolving issues
• Ensure process compliance is associated with the role and ensure that the team conforms to the processes in place as standard practice. Continuously review, challenge, drive and lead on continuous improvement
• Champion continuous improvement in line with companywide projects
• Actively seek out and identify risks and identify opportunities for risk mitigation
• Establish, manage and deliver all labour and material budgets (direct & overhead), working in consultation with key stakeholders

Skills and experiences | Qualifications

Essential:

• Hold a HND in engineering/management or equivalent
• Have a good background/understanding of Engineering and/or Operations
• Prior management of functional Overhead (OH) budgets experience
• Relevant experience in a senior management role of an equivalent size and scope
• Nuclear operating experience and an in depth understanding of the licence conditions’ requirements and Nuclear Safety culture
• Proven track record in the delivery of complex products

Benefits

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The team

You will lead a team with diverse experience as we develop the shipbuilders of the future. You will be a proactive problem solver who is undaunted by complexity and organisational boundaries and you will have fantastic opportunity to help deliver functional strategies, plans and objectives that deliver Submarines functional business objectives. There will be the chance for you to play a key part in the development, maintenance and management of a professional team that effectively interfaces with the rest of the Submarines business to meet objectives. This is a one of a kind opportunity! We offer relocation support packages across all Submarines roles, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 15th October 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

#LI-CB1

#LI-onsite