Rewards/Benefits on offer.

A highly competitive salary.
Working for a highly successful Northeast SME business, with plans for organic growth and expansion by further acquisitions.
A superb career opportunity, to work with a highly experienced team of Directors.
The company supply to a varied customer base, with a range of high value quality products.
An immediate start date for the right person, initially for a one-year interim basis, which could be extended depending on future business needs.

The Company

Our client is a true Northeast success story within the regional SME manufacturing sector. The company is a privately-owned business with an impressive history of developing, manufacturing, and supplying a range of high-quality products to a national customer base, in a variety of market sectors. The company operates from a well-established production facility located in the Gateshead area, with plans for organic growth and further acquisitions. They are now looking to recruit an experienced Operations Manager to work closely with their company Directors and to provide a hands-on leadership role in all aspects of their production facility. You will be placed in a key role, to implement and manage a range of continuous improvement projects as well as to train, mentor and develop the next leadership team for the business. We believe this is an outstanding career opportunity for an experienced manufacturing leader, to help support a growing business and impart knowledge, experience, and wisdom to their key employees.

Job Summary

Responsible for driving continuous improvement and lean manufacturing initiatives across the factory to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve overall performance.
Key focus areas include team development, process optimisation, and ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality products.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and implement lean manufacturing strategies to improve productivity, reduce costs, and eliminate waste.
Drive a culture of continuous improvement through effective use of visual management and daily team engagement.
Support and develop staff through structured training, coaching, and mentoring.
Monitor and improve KPIs relating to production, quality, and delivery targets.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth and efficient factory operations.
Happy to travel to a manufacturing facility in the Midlands.

About you.

Proven experience in a production or manufacturing leadership role.
Strong background in implementing Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement techniques (e.g. 5S, Kaizen, efficiency improvements).
Experience working cross-functionally with teams and different sites.
Knowledge of health and safety regulations and operational compliance standards.
Experience of training and developing staff members to become effective future leaders.
Results-driven with a track record of delivering efficiency gains and cost reductions.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills in fast-paced environments.
Strong people management skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and engage teams.
Confident communicator, capable of leading daily briefs, coaching individuals, and influencing change.
Able to prioritise and adapt to evolving production needs and targets.
Formal lean/CI qualification or training is highly desirable.
Proactive, hands-on leadership style.
Continuous improvement mindset with attention to detail.
Calm under pressure and resilient in managing operational challenges.
Committed to developing a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture