Operations Manager in Kettering
Energy Jobline is the largest and fastest growing global Energy Job Board and Energy Hub. We have an audience reach of over 7 million energy professionals, 400,000+ monthly advertised global energy and engineering jobs, and work with the leading energy companies worldwide.
We focus on the Oil & Gas, Renewables, Engineering, Power, and Nuclear markets as well as emerging technologies in EV, Battery, and Fusion. We are committed to ensuring that we offer the most exciting career opportunities from around the world for our jobseekers.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Location: Kettering, Northamptonshire
Salary: Up to £50,000 per annum DOE
Hours: 37.5 hrs per week
About the Company
Our client is a long-established company specialising in the design and manufacture of physical testing machinery. Trusted by leading global brands, their equipment is exported worldwide to support quality and performance standards across multiple industries. Their Kettering facility combines engineering expertise with advanced production processes to deliver high-value, low-volume machinery.
About the Role
The Operations Manager will oversee the end-to-end coordination of production, service, logistics, and operational delivery, ensuring customer commitments are met on time, to quality standards, and within budget.
This is a hands-on leadership position requiring a strong engineering background, proven production management experience, and commercial awareness. The role bridges engineering, production, sales, and customers, ensuring products are delivered profitably and reliably.
It includes customer-facing responsibilities and contributes to business development and strategic marketing through operational and technical input.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Delivery & Planning
Own and continuously improve delivery performance from order acceptance to shipment, installation, commissioning, and service.
Lead integrated planning across sales, engineering, production, service, and procurement, ensuring priorities, capacity, and risks are visible.
Serve as the escalation point for delivery issues, proactively communicating and mitigating risks.
Production & Service Oversight
Manage and support team leaders responsible for:
Mechanical production and assembly
Electrical build, calibration, and commissioning
Global service and technical support
Logistics and order fulfillment
Ensure all production, calibration, and service activities adhere to agreed processes and quality standards.
Oversee logging and escalation of design, production, supplier, or parts defects.
Commercial & Margin Awareness
Meet financial objectives through operational decision-making.
Minimize avoidable cost leakage via improved planning, sourcing, internal manufacturing vs. subcontracting decisions, and clear service charging.
Collaborate with Sales, Procurement, and Engineering to ensure commercially sound decisions.
Report financial performance against budget.
Customer & Market Engagement
Act as a senior operational contact for key customers, fostering confidence in delivery and service.
Support the development of service offerings, training, upgrades, and aftermarket opportunities.
Contribute operational and technical expertise to marketing materials, product positioning, and business development.
Leadership & Team Development
Lead, coach, and develop team leaders, enhancing planning discipline, accountability, and confidence.
Promote a commercially aware, customer-focused culture across production and service teams.
Support skills development, training records, and succession planning.
Continuous Improvement & Governance
Enhance consistency of operational processes without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.
Maintain feedback loops between production, service, and engineering teams.
Support skills development, training records, and succession planning.
About You
Essential
Willingness to challenge constructively and improve ways of working
Engineering background (mechanical and/or electrical)
Proven experience in production or operations management
Experience leading technical or production teams
Strong planning, coordination, and problem-solving skills
Commercial awareness
Confident communicator with internal teams and customers
Comfortable in a low-volume, high-value manufacturing environment
Desirable
Experience in test equipment, machinery, or capital equipment
Exposure to service, commissioning, or calibration activities
Previous customer-facing or account support experience
Involvement in business development or product marketing
Knowledge of CE/UKCA or regulated machinery environments
Experience managing subcontract manufacture
Benefits Include
25–30 days (service-related) annual leave
Life assurance
Group personal pension plan
Income protection
Free parking
Flexible working hours
Potential for global travel
Recruitment Contact: This vacancy is being handled exclusively by Interaction Recruitment.
Closing date: Friday 13th March
1st Stage Teams interviews: 25th & 26th March 2026
INDKTT
If you are interested in applying for this job please press the Apply Button and follow the application process. Energy Jobline wishes you the very best of luck in your next career move.