Head Of Operations - Manufacturing

Head of Operations - Manufacturing

I am working for a heavy manufacturing business in the Ayrshire area - They have created a new senior management role for their Scottish businesses, Head of Operations - Scotland. This role reports directly to the MD and has responsibility for the full operations of their 2 x facilities - one in Ayrshire and a smaller operation in the outskirts of Edinburgh.
The successful person will have 4 direct reports over two sites which employ 130 and 80 respectively. Ideally someone coming from a heavy manufacturing industry where operational management is key to their experience would be ideal. The person can be based at either location if they are willing to travel. Ayrshire being the largest site might make the most sense, but they are open for the right candidate being located from the East of the Central belt as well, but the role is not a hybrid role so onsite 5 days per week.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the leadership and management of business operations across these respective sites and contribute to the senior leadership team. They are responsible for hitting or exceeding agreed targets for the Group and develop / execute the strategic plan to grow business operations. They will lead and develop the site teams in both locations.
Direct Responsibility
The Head of Operations will have the following direct reports:
• Plant Manager for both operations
• H&S Manager
• CHP Manager
Roles and Responsibilities
• Operations Strategy and Planning
o Develop the site strategy to maximise the return to the business.
o Set the Scottish production budget with senior leadership team & plant manager inputs.
• Production
o Monitor production performance against budget through an agreed set of KPIs.
o Drive efficiencies and standardisation of approaches, practices, and reporting.
o Develop a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement across the 2 sites.
o Ensure the optimisation of the maintenance function and its systems for plant efficiency.
• Safety, Health, Environment, Quality (SHEQ)
o Actively promote and prioritise a safe working environment for their people.
o Ensure that appropriate policies, procedures, staff and processes are in place.
• Employees
o Work with HR and site managers to ensure staff are trained and upskilled.
o Review internal moves/ promotions to ensure they are the right fit for the Group.
o Support line management to clarify roles and responsibilities between departments.
• New Products
o Guide multi-disciplinary group to research opportunities and develop business cases.
• New Projects / Capital Development
o Ensure that short & long term projects are managed and delivered on time and to budget.
o Develop and maintain the capital investment strategy plan for the sites.
• Leadership
o Contribute to the successful delivery of the business strategy together with members of the Senior Leadership Team.
o Lead and develop the site managers and respective teams across the sites.
o Mentor and coaching of new and existing members of the team.
o Conduct performance and development reviews of team members.
o Identify development opportunities for team members.
• Processes and Technology
o Standardise business practices and reports across sites.
o Drive the improvement of the manufacturing and lean practices.
o Introduce systems and processes to secure plant efficiency and deliver budgets.
o Ensure that the throughput evolves to meet the needs of the business as it grows and invests in capital.
o Develop the technology/production/maintenance plans to enable the site team deliver on the overall targets.
• Key accountabilities
o Maximising the value of throughput across manufacturing and operating sites
o Operational and safety KPIs and standards
o Training and development of the team
o Developing the clients brand and reputation with suppliers within the UK and Ireland
Desired Competencies
o Strong personal credibility with the ability to build trusted relationships.
o Advanced interpersonal, negotiation, communication and influencing skills.
o Exceptional judgment and demonstrated ability to make sound decisions.
o Resourceful, driven by results and understands how to prioritise time, resources and people.
o Proven ability to lead and develop people.
o Creates a climate in which people can do their best.
o Strong sense of urgency. Comfortable in an environment that is dynamic and changeable.
o Driven by new ideas, methods, and opportunities, always striving to find solutions that are innovative.
o Drive to exceed goals and push self and others towards high levels of performance.
o Capacity to reduce complexity and increase efficiency in processes to maximise outcome/return.
o Excellent verbal and written skills with the ability to make presentations and capable of persuading all levels of the business.
o Proficient in IT, software packages and systems
Desired Qualifications and Experience
• Minimum 5 years' experience in leading Operations teams in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record in heavy industry operations and manufacturing.
• Proven brand leader.
Manufacturing / Operations / Business degree or relevant equivalent qualification
If you are an experienced manufacturing Head of Operations looking for their next career move with this highly successful manufacturer, please contact me on the below details to discuss your current situation confidentially and if the role might be of interest:-
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