Operations Manager - Manufacturing
Location: Birmingham
Salary: Up to £60,000 + 10% Bonus
Hours: Monday to Friday, Days
Contract: Permanent

Are you an Operations Manager who enjoys making things better? Not just managing processes, but developing people, improving performance, and genuinely influencing how a business operates?

SF Recruitment are working with a successful, independently owned manufacturing SME in Birmingham, who are looking to strengthen their leadership team with the appointment of an Operations Manager. This is a well-established, profitable business with a loyal workforce, a strong customer base and significant recent investment in its facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. Having invested heavily in the physical operation, the next priority is developing the management structure, strengthening leadership, and introducing more effective ways of working.

The opportunity? To take ownership of an established operation and help shape what its future looks like.
We''re looking for an Operations Manager who can bring structure, energy, and commercial awareness to the business. Someone who is equally comfortable on the shop floor, developing managers and supervisors, reviewing performance data, or working with senior leadership on operational improvements. This isn''t a corporate environment with layers of management and rigid processes. It''s an independent business where decisions can be made quickly, good ideas are welcomed and the right person will have genuine influence.

The role
Reporting directly into senior leadership, you''ll take responsibility for the effective running and development of the manufacturing operation, alongside wider operational functions.

Your responsibilities will include:
- Providing leadership across production and associated operational functions, ensuring effective communication and accountability.
- Managing and developing supervisors and operational personnel, building a strong and capable management structure.
- Driving improvements in manufacturing performance, quality, efficiency, and customer delivery.
- Overseeing production planning, capacity, resource allocation, and operational priorities.
- Working closely with supply chain, stock control, logistics and other departments to improve overall operational effectiveness.
- Establishing clear KPIs, reporting processes and performance management routines.
- Identifying opportunities to improve workflow, reduce waste, minimise downtime and control operating costs.
- Supporting the development of quality management systems, health and safety standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Utilising ERP systems and operational data to support planning, reporting and decision-making.
- Taking ownership of improvement projects and contributing to the longer-term development of the business.

About you
We''re particularly interested in speaking with Operations Managers who have developed their careers within manufacturing and understand what it takes to deliver results through people. You might already be operating in a broad Operations Manager capacity, or you could be an experienced Production Manager who is ready to take on wider operational responsibility. Either way, you''ll need to be comfortable taking ownership, making decisions and introducing improvements in a business where some processes and ways of working have been established for many years.

We''re looking for:
- Proven experience managing manufacturing or production operations.
- Strong people leadership skills, with experience developing teams, supervisors, or managers.
- A solid understanding of production planning, operational KPIs, quality, cost control and continuous improvement.
- Experience working across functions such as supply chain, stock control, logistics or procurement.
- Confidence using ERP/MRP systems and operational reporting tools.
- Experience implementing change, improving processes, and driving accountability.
- A practical understanding of manufacturing health and safety requirements.
- A commercially aware, proactive, and solutions-focused approach.

Experience within related manufacturing sectors would be beneficial, but we''re far more interested in your ability to lead an operation and deliver improvements than the specific products you''ve manufactured.

What''s in it for you?
This is an opportunity to join a business that has the foundations, investment, and appetite for change already in place. What it needs now is the right leadership to take things forward.

- Salary up to £60,000 + 10% bonus
- Monday to Friday, daytime working hours.
- Significant recent investment in manufacturing facilities and equipment.
- A broad and influential operational leadership position.
- The opportunity to develop people, processes, and operational strategy.
- Direct access to senior decisionmakers.
- Genuine autonomy to implement improvements and shape the future of the operation.
- The stability of an established business combined with the opportunity to drive meaningful change.

If you''re looking for an Operations Manager role where you can make a visible impact, be trusted to get on with the job and see the results of your work, this could be exactly what you''re looking for.

Apply today or contact SF Recruitment for a confidential discussion.