đź“Ť Central Scotland / Livingston
💰 £55,000 – £62,000 + Benefits
đź•’ 37.5 hours per week | Early Finish Fridays
An established and highly respected engineering manufacturer is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a critical forging operation within a fast-paced, heavy engineering environment.
This is a senior leadership opportunity where you’ll take full ownership of performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost. Driving a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
🚀 The Opportunity
You’ll be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of a complex forging operation, ensuring production targets are met while continuously improving processes, performance, and team capability.
Working closely with senior leadership, you’ll play a key role in shaping strategy, improving efficiencies, and delivering world-class manufacturing performance.
🔑 Key Responsibilities
* Lead and embed a proactive Health & Safety culture, driving compliance and accountability
* Deliver against production plans, KPIs, and customer delivery targets
* Manage resource planning and scheduling to meet operational demands
* Drive quality improvements, ensuring right-first-time performance
* Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions across operational issues
* Control and improve cost performance, including waste and scrap reduction
* Champion continuous improvement (Lean, 6S, OEE, TPM)
* Develop, coach, and lead high-performing teams
* Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure smooth operational delivery
* Work closely with maintenance to minimise downtime and improve asset performance
đź‘Ą Leadership & Culture
* Build and lead a culture of ownership, accountability, and teamwork
* Engage, motivate, and develop teams to achieve operational excellence
* Deliver clear and consistent communication across all levels
* Drive performance through strong leadership and structured development
🧠About You
* Proven experience as an Operations Manager / Production Manager within heavy engineering or manufacturing
* Strong leadership skills with a track record of developing high-performing teams
* Experience with continuous improvement tools and methodologies
* Strong understanding of KPI management, cost control, and process optimisation
* Ability to interpret technical drawings and engineering data
* A proactive, hands-on leader with strong problem-solving ability
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
* Engineering qualification preferred (or equivalent experience)
⏰ Working Hours
* Monday – Thursday: 8:00am – 4:15pm
* Friday: 8:00am – 3:00pm
🌟 Why Apply?
* Join a well-established and forward-thinking engineering business
* Take ownership of a key operational area with real influence
* Drive continuous improvement and make a tangible impact
* Enjoy a strong work-life balance with early Friday finishes
* Competitive salary and long-term career potential
If you’re an experienced operations leader ready to take ownership of a high-impact manufacturing environment, we’d love to hear from you.