Gentex At A Glance:
At Gentex Corporation, we've created an environment where great ideas and great people can thrive. Leveraging a history that spans over 130 years, Gentex is a global leader in personal protection and situational awareness solutions for defense forces, emergency responders, and industrial personnel operating in high performance environments. Join our multinational team of exceptional and dedicated employees around the world and work on challenging and rewarding projects, grow your skills, and advance your career all while making a positive difference in the lives of our customers. Together, you and Gentex can build a career that's uniquely yours.
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About the Job:
Gentex Europe, part of the global Gentex Corporation, is seeking an accomplished Manufacturing Operations Manager to lead our UK manufacturing operations and drive operational excellence across our Haydock and Letchworth facilities. The role will be based at our Haydock facility with 25% travel required to our Letchworth facility.
This is a high-profile leadership role where you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of our manufacturing capability, lead a multi-skilled team, and play a pivotal role in delivering safe, efficient, and high-quality production to support our growing customer base in the aerospace, defence, and industrial sectors.
This role goes beyond day-to-day operations — it's about driving transformation, continuous improvement, and building a high-performing manufacturing culture. You'll be responsible for setting strategic direction, optimising production capabilities, and ensuring our operations consistently deliver on quality, cost, and delivery expectations.
Key Accountabilities:
* Lead manufacturing operations across the UK, establishing priorities and aligning performance with Gentex Europe's business objectives.
* Build and embed a Lean culture, driving continuous improvement and operational excellence through structured transformation initiatives.
* Deliver against operational KPIs for safety, quality, on-time delivery, cost, and productivity.
* Oversee financial performance, optimising labour, material, and overhead costs to maximise operational efficiency.
* Drive collaboration across functions, partnering closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Planning, and Customer Service to meet customer expectations.
* Lead site resource planning, production scheduling, and capacity modelling to support strategic growth.
* Manage CAPEX planning and implementation for new production lines and automation investments.
* Ensure compliance with ISO 9001, AS9100D, health & safety, environmental, and export control regulations.
* Champion talent development by leading, coaching, and building capability within production teams, supervisors, and support functions.
What You'll Bring
The ideal candidate is a strategic operations leader with a proven track record of transforming manufacturing performance in complex, fast-paced environments. Someone who thrives on solving challenges, driving innovation, and empowering teams to deliver their best.
* Degree-level education or equivalent in engineering, operations, or related discipline.
* 8+ years' progressive leadership experience within manufacturing operations, preferably in aerospace, defence, or other high-specification manufacturing sectors.
* Demonstrated success in leading high-performing teams, improving productivity, and embedding operational excellence.
* Strong background in Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement principles (certification desirable).
* Proven experience introducing new production lines and technologies from concept to implementation, including capex planning and workforce upskilling.
* In-depth knowledge of ISO 9001, AS9100D, and quality compliance frameworks.
* Proficiency in SAP S/4HANA (or similar ERP systems) and confident with operational analytics and reporting tools.
* Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to partner across all levels of the organisation.
Leadership & Team
You'll have full line management responsibility for Production Managers, Supervisors, and a wider manufacturing workforce. You'll set the tone for a high-performance culture built on trust, accountability, and continuous development.
Why Gentex?
At Gentex Europe, you'll be part of a dynamic, ambitious organisation backed by a global leader in mission-critical innovation. We combine global expertise with the agility of a local business, meaning you'll have the autonomy to make an impact while benefiting from world-class resources and investment.
We offer:
* Significant influence over manufacturing strategy and transformation
* Opportunities for leadership development and career progression
* Exposure to cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and automation initiatives
* A collaborative culture where performance and innovation are recognised
At Gentex, we don't just accept difference—we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products and our community.