Engineering

Operations Director

  • Location

    Bedfordshire

  • Sector:

    Engineering

  • Job type:

    Permanent

  • Salary:

    Negotiable

  • Contact:

    Antony Curmi

  • Contact email:

    a.curmi@ioassociates.co.uk

  • Job ref:

    BBBH156646_1746525614

  • Consultant:

    Antony Curmi

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.