Operations Manager – (UK Manufacturer)
Location: Surrey
Salary: £60,000–£75,000 doe + benefits
Employment: Full-time, permanent

Why This Role Matters

This is your chance to step into a pivotal leadership role within one of the UK’s most innovative and fast-growing manufacturers in the life-safety sector. They design and manufactures ventilation systems that protect thousands of people in high-rise residential, commercial, and public buildings across the UK.

As Operations Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind production, warehouse operations, logistics, and quality assurance, ensuring that life-saving products are manufactured, tested, and delivered with precision, speed, and absolute compliance.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, technical manufacturing environment and love building high-performing teams, this is the role that will elevate your career.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading day-to-day manufacturing and assembly operations, ensuring efficient production flow
• Managing the warehouse, including goods-in, stock control, pick/pack, and dispatch
• Overseeing logistics and delivery scheduling, ensuring fast and reliable customer fulfilment
• Implementing and improving quality assurance processes for safety-critical products
• Working closely with engineering, sales, and technical teams to align production with demand
• Driving continuous improvement, lean processes, and operational efficiency
• Ensuring compliance with relevant standards (e.g., EN 12101, BS 9991)
• Managing and developing production, warehouse, and logistics staff
• Reporting on KPIs, capacity planning, and operational performance

Requirements

Who We’re Looking For

A confident, hands-on leader who understands the unique demands of manufacturing technical, safety-critical products. Someone who can balance strategic thinking with operational execution.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as an Operations Manager, Production Manager, or Manufacturing Manager
• Background in manufacturing, engineering, HVAC, building services, mechanical/electrical assembly, or life-safety systems
• Strong understanding of warehouse operations, stock control, and logistics
• Experience implementing lean manufacturing, 5S, or continuous improvement methodologies
• Excellent people-management skills — able to motivate, coach, and develop teams
• Strong understanding of quality assurance and compliance processes
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment
• Confident communicator who can work cross-functionally with technical and commercial teams
  

Highly Desirable

• Experience in smoke ventilation, fire safety, mechanical extract systems, or building compliance
• Knowledge of EN 12101, BS 9991, or similar regulatory frameworks
• Experience scaling operations in a growing manufacturing business
  

Sector Experience That Fits Best

Candidates from the following sectors tend to excel in this environment:

• HVAC or M&E manufacturing
• Building services equipment
• Electrical or mechanical assembly
• Industrial ventilation or air-movement systems
• Safety-critical product manufacturing
• Modular plantroom or packaged plant manufacturing

Benefits

Benefits:

• Growth Bonus – share in the company’s success
• Free on-site parking
• Free lunch provided daily
• 20 days holiday + 8 bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional holiday days
• Your birthday off
• Early finish every other Friday (2 hours earlier)
• Competitive salary