Unit Manager

ABB; Coleshill CP; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

25 days annual leave plus bank/policy

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Private medical cover

Company car

Generous bonus scheme

Job summary

ABB is seeking a site leader for Coleshill UK to take full ownership of the manufacturing unit, covering Production, Planning, Maintenance, Customer Service, Procurement, Quality, and Logistics. The role is onsite with the option to work from home per guidelines.

You will join the ELIP EMEA Operations Leadership Team, set KPIs, drive safety, efficiency, and cost performance, and shape standards across the European network while developing people and ensuring on-time delivery.

Qualifications

• Engineering or technical degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Industrial engineering (Bachelor/Master).
• Several years of leadership in manufacturing/operations, ideally as plant/unit or operations manager.
• Lean / Operational Excellence, supply chain and ISO 9001; SAP experience is a must; ISO standards a plus.
• Proven track record in improving safety, delivery, quality and cost with KPI transparency.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead site-wide operations to deliver safe, on-time production with quality and cost targets.
• Oversee Production, Planning, Maintenance, Customer Service, Procurement, Quality and Logistics.
• Drive budget adherence, CAPEX planning, productivity gains and cost optimisation.
• Secure on-time delivery and optimal lead times in collaboration with Demand Planning and Logistics.
• Implement quality strategies and KPI-driven improvements across the site.
• Manage working capital by optimizing inventory turns and material flow.
• Collaborate with EMEA to harmonize standards, processes and governance.
• Develop people through coaching, staffing decisions with HR and succession planning.
• Represent the unit with internal stakeholders and external authorities.

Skills

Leadership

Lean / Operational Excellence

Communication

People leadership

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical / Electrical / Industrial)

Tools

SAP

Job description

At ABB, we help industries run leaner and cleaner—and every person here makes that happen. You’ll be empowered to lead, supported to grow, and proud of the impact we create together. Join us and help run what runs the world.

This position reports to:

Regional Operations Manager

In this role, you will have the opportunity to take full ownership of our manufacturing unit in Coleshill (UK) – covering Production, Planning, Maintenance, Customer Service, Procurement, Quality, Operational Excellence and Logistics. As a member of the newly formed ELIP EMEA Operations Leadership Team, you will not only run your site, but actively shape common standards, KPIs and ways of working across our European manufacturing network. Each day, you will lead your teams to deliver safely, on time, in the right quality and at competitive cost. The work model for the role is: onsite, with the option of working from home in line with site‑specific guidelines.

Our Team Dynamics

Our teams support each other, collaborate, and never stop learning. Everyone brings something unique, and together we push ideas forward to solve real problems. Being part of our team means your work matters - because the progress we make here creates real impact out there.

What’s in it for you?

We want you to bring your full self to work—your ideas, your energy, your ambition. You’ll have the tools and freedom to grow your skills, shape your path, and take on challenges that matter. Here, your work creates impact you can see and feel, every day.

Your Role And Responsibilities

In this role, you’ll help run what runs the world, by taking on meaningful work that drives real impact.

Work model: Hybrid

• Safety first: Being accountable for the health and safety of all employees and contractors at the site, driving a strong safety culture, accident prevention and continuous improvement of HSE and environmental performance, including waste reduction.
• Operational Excellence: Initiating and leading improvement programs and projects that increase efficiency and resource utilization; implementing and sharing best practices within the EMEA network. You lead by example in applying standardized processes and management systems consistently in daily operations, making them a living part of how the site works.
• Site performance and financials: Running the unit in line with budget and annual targets; preparing the operating budget and investment plan (CAPEX); driving gross margin, productivity and cost optimization.
• Customer delivery: Securing on‑time delivery (SOTD/ROTD), lead time and fulfilment performance in close cooperation with Demand Planning, Customer Service and Logistics.
• Quality: Executing the business quality strategy, ensuring day‑to‑day process control and reducing scrap, cost of poor quality and customer complaints (CCRP) through structured problem solving.
• Working capital: Managing inventory and material flow to improve inventory turns without compromising delivery performance.
• EMEA collaboration: Implementing the global and EMEA manufacturing strategy at the site, contributing to strategy development, harmonizing processes, reporting and KPIs, and supporting footprint, localization, product portfolio and system harmonization initiatives.
• People leadership: Leading, developing and coaching the site organization; ensuring the unit is properly organized, staffed and skilled; making recruitment and staffing decisions together with HR.
• Compliance and representation: Ensuring compliance with the ABB Code of Conduct, integrity standards, laws, norms and regulations applicable to the site; representing the unit towards internal stakeholders, authorities and third parties.

Qualifications For The Role

• Solid degree in Engineering or a comparable technical field (e.g. Mechanical, Electrical or Industrial Engineering; Bachelor/Master, Dipl.-Ing., HF/FH).
• Several years of leadership experience in manufacturing / operations, ideally as plant, unit or operations manager in series production; experience in extrusion, injection molding and/or metal processing is a strong advantage.
• Solid knowledge of Lean / Operational Excellence, supply chain and inventory management, as well as quality management systems according to ISO 9001. Hands‑on experience with SAP is a must. Experience with further ISO management system standards is a strong advantage.
• Proven track record in improving safety, delivery, quality and cost performance and making results transparent through KPIs. Experience with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 is a strong advantage.
• Experience in leading changes and implementing common standards across sites or countries is a strong plus.
• A credible, trustworthy and hands‑on leader with strong communication and integration skills, who takes initiative and develops people and ideas.
• Fluent in English, written and spoken; additional languages are an advantage.

Benefits

ABB offers a full range of benefits to help you thrive at work and beyond.

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Flexible benefits scheme (Includes options to buy/sell holidays, health checks, dental, eye care, gym memberships, cycle to work, gadget discounts and more)
• Internal mobility opportunities, mentorships & access to projects globally
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Generous employee referral scheme
• Company car
• Private medical cover for yourself and partner
• Generous bonus scheme

For the 6th consecutive year ABB UK has been recognised as a Top Employer in UK. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices.

More About Us

ABB Installation Products Division, helps manage the connection, protection and distribution of electrical power from source to socket. The Division’s products are engineered to provide ease of installation and perform in demanding and harsh conditions, helping to ensure safety and continuous operation for utilities, businesses and people around the world. The Commercial Essentials product segment includes electrical junction boxes, commercial fittings, strut and cable tray metal framing systems for commercial and residential construction. The Premier Industrial product segment includes multiple product lines, such as Ty‑Rap® cable ties, T&B Liquidtight Systems® protection products, PVC coated and nylon conduit systems, power connection and grounding systems, and cable protection systems of conduits and fittings for harsh and industrial applications. The Division also manufactures solutions for medium‑voltage applications used in the utility market under its marquee brands including Elastimold™ reclosers and switchgear, capacitor switches, current limiting fuses, Homac™ distribution connectors, Hi‑Tech Valiant™ full‑range current limiting fuse for fire mitigation, faulted current indicators and distribution connectors, cable accessories and apparatus with products for overhead and underground distribution. Manufacturing includes made‑to‑stock and custom‑made solutions.

Join us. Be part of the team where progress happens, industries transform, and your work shapes the world.

Run What Runs the World.

#RunwithABB

Building a cleaner, smarter future takes all kinds of minds: the curious, the courageous, and the creative. That’s why we welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences.

Ready to make an impact?