Operations Manager

The Operations Manager is a senior site-level leader responsible for driving day-to-day manufacturing execution within a regulated aerospace and defense production environment. This role owns operational performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost — ensuring the facility runs with discipline, predictability, and continuous improvement.

Operating as a key member of the site leadership team, the Operations Manager translates demand into execution, develops frontline leadership, and strengthens operational systems as program complexity and customer expectations continue to increase. This is a highly visible, hands-on role for someone who enjoys being on the floor, solving problems, and raising performance standards. This role has a clear accelerated progression path outlined to Plant Manager.

Key Responsibilities:

• Full responsibility for daily manufacturing execution across assigned production areas
• Delivery of production plans in line with customer demand, quality requirements, and capacity constraints
• Establishing strong daily operating rhythms, workforce alignment, and production prioritization
• Partnering closely with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Planning to improve flow and remove constraints
• Ensuring operational readiness as demand, mix, and program complexity evolve

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Setting and reinforcing a strong safety culture with clear expectations and accountability
• Ensuring operations comply with AS9100, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory standards
• Supporting internal and external audits and driving effective corrective and preventive actions
• Maintaining procedural discipline and standard work across production areas

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Owning key operational KPIs across productivity, delivery, scrap, rework, and labor efficiency
• Leading structured problem-solving and root-cause activities when performance gaps arise
• Driving Lean manufacturing behaviors, including visual management, standard work, and continuous improvement routines
• Identifying opportunities to improve throughput, reduce cost, and optimize capacity utilisation

People Leadership

• Leading, coaching, and developing supervisors and frontline leaders
• Building capability through training, certification, and cross-skilling
• Creating a culture of accountability, engagement, and ownership on the shop floor
• Partnering with HR and site leadership on workforce planning and performance management

Necessary Attributes/Experience

• 5-7 years of manufacturing leadership experience, ideally within aerospace, defense, or other regulated industries
• Strong operational grounding with the confidence to make decisions in a fast-paced, high-mix environment
• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, or related field preferred
• Working knowledge of AS9100 and quality-driven manufacturing systems
• Hands-on experience leading Lean or continuous improvement initiatives
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage priorities, and drive execution through others
• Background in precision manufacturing or metal-forming environments is advantageous