Managing Director – Small Manufacturing & Automotive Aftermarket Business
About the Business: We are a small, specialist manufacturing business supplying safety-related products into the automotive aftermarket. We operate with a compact team, a hands‑on workshop environment, and close relationships with our customers. This is a real SME business – practical, fast‑moving, and built on people doing things properly rather than layers of process. About the Role
We are looking for a hands‑on Managing Director to take day‑to‑day responsibility for running and growing the business. The role suits someone who enjoys being close to the detail, improving how things work, and steadily building a business rather than maintaining the status quo. It is not a corporate MD role. There will be an initial handover period working alongside the current interim Managing Director to ensure continuity and a smooth transition before full responsibility transfers. Responsibilities
Running the business day to day Driving revenue growth, pricing discipline and margin improvement Improving operational efficiency across production, stock and delivery Leading, supporting and developing a small team Making sound commercial decisions within tight budgets Using financial information and simple reporting to guide actions Improving organisation, workflow and standards on the shop floor over time Introducing better systems, tools and ways of working where they add value Taking ownership of outcomes, not just activity Technology, Systems & AI
You do not need to be technical or write code, but you must be comfortable using modern tools. This includes: Using systems and dashboards to understand performance Improving reporting and visibility through simple technology Being curious about automation and AI tools that can help reduce admin and improve sales follow‑up, stock control, reporting and visibility, and internal processes Environment (Important to Understand)
This is a working manufacturing environment, not a polished corporate operation. The shop floor and processes are functional but require structure, discipline and ongoing improvement. We are looking for someone who is not put off by this, sees it as an opportunity, and enjoys steadily raising standards and improving how the business operates. This is a hands‑on, close‑to‑operations role. Who This Role Suits (Persona)
A small‑business practitioner, not a corporate manager Commercially sharp – understands pricing, margins, cash and trade‑offs Hands‑on – comfortable being close to operations, people and the shop floor Solution‑first – instinctively moves from problem to action Decisive – able to make calls without perfect information Hungry to grow – wants to build and scale a business, not just maintain one Comfortable working with tight budgets and finding creative solutions Tech‑comfortable – curious about systems, automation and AI (not technical, but open and capable) Operationally creative – finds better ways to serve customers and organise work Able to lead a small team, delegate effectively, build confidence and help others grow Adaptable – willing to change approach when something isn’t working Background & Experience
Experience running or helping run a small business or division Automotive aftermarket, manufacturing, engineering or similar SME background preferred Experience with safety‑related or regulated products is a plus, not essential Direct seatbelt or automotive safety experience is not required Commercial or sales background helpful, but not mandatory Must understand how financial reports inform day‑to‑day decisions Salary & Incentives
Base salary of £50,000. Performance‑related bonus linked to business results. Opportunity for short‑ and longer‑term incentives for the right person, based on delivery and retention. Benefits
Company pension Free parking Sick pay Job Type: Full‑time
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