We're looking for a bold, strategic, and hands-on Operations Director who sees challenge as opportunity. Based in Bedfordshire, this is your chance to be at the helm of a major operational and cultural transformation, and if done successfully it will position yourself for a future step up to a multi-site Managing Director position. This is not a role for the faint-hearted. It's for someone who thrives on solving complex problems, breaking silos, and building high-performing teams. You'll be the driving force behind streamlining operations, embedding lean thinking, and creating a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. But just as importantly, you'll bring the commercial sharpness to steer the wider business toward growth, profitability, and long-term success.
What you will be taking on as the Operations Director:
Leading operations across multiple manufacturing, servicing, or engineering-based sites.
Designing and delivering a clear transformation strategy; from processes to people.
Championing Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies to eliminate waste and maximise performance.
Working closely with commercial, finance, and technical teams to align operational goals with business objectives.
Building a culture that's engaged, agile, and a high performance environment.
Playing a central role in shaping the company's strategic direction, with the future of the MD role in sight.
What we are looking for:
A seasoned operations leader with a strong engineering background, ideally from a manufacturing or engineering services and repairs background.
Proven experience leading operational and cultural transformation in a demanding environment.
Expertise in continuous improvement ; Lean, Six Sigma, or similar.
Commercially minded, with a strong grasp of business performance levers and customer expectations.
Strategic mindset, with the capability to spot and deliver new commercial opportunities.
Comfortable leading at scale, across functions and locations.
Motivated by results, ownership, and long-term impact.
Financially astute, with previous experience managing budgets and P&L.
This is a great opportunity for an Operations Director to lead with real autonomy, drive meaningful and lasting change, and be recognised and rewarded for their impact. You'll be joining a business that not only welcomes fresh thinking and is ready for transformation but also offers a clear and supportive path for career progression. If you're looking for the chance to shape the future of a business while advancing your own personal goals, then this could be the role for you.
Desired Skills and Experience
Transformation, Commercial, operations, engineering, strategy, lean, 6sigma, leadership