Explore and Apply for Operations Manager jobs in Warrington, United Kingdom

Your new company

A well-established chemical manufacturing business based in Stoke-on-Trent is looking to appoint an experienced Operations Manager to lead all operational activity on an Upper Tier COMAH site. This is a senior site leadership role with full accountability for safe, compliant and efficient operations, as well as longer-term strategy across sustainability and net zero.

Your new role

As Operations Manager, you will lead a team of circa 50 and take ownership of site performance across process safety, environmental compliance, production delivery, cost control, continuous improvement and regulatory reporting. Acting as the Site Manager and Duty Holder, you will ensure the site meets all legal and regulatory obligations while developing capability, resilience and operational excellence.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, developing and resourcing the Operations Team, ensuring competent staffing levels, training and capability across the site.

• Owning site operations and ensuring compliance with Environment, Health, Safety, Waste legislation, and all other legal and regulatory requirements.

• Managing operational costs, including oversight of revenue and capital expenditure within agreed authorisation levels.

• Specifying chemicals required for production and ensuring output meets sales requirements (including Cadmium pigments, metal stearates and copper oxide).

• Coordinating and managing energy supply contracts and Climate Change Agreements.

• Leading site sustainability and net zero strategy, translating plans into measurable operational delivery.

• Ensuring maintenance standards are met, and identifying and leading continuous improvement across facilities, services and security.

• Driving product, process, people and technical development, building and presenting proposals for improvement.

• Coordinating and hosting external inspections, audits and exercises (HSE, EA and other bodies), and ensuring timely, accurate submissions and reporting.

• Upholding the site Quality Management System, including Safe Systems of Work, self-inspection and audit readiness.

• Managing global product compliance across relevant regulatory frameworks (REACH, UK REACH, KKDIK, Korea REACH, Eurasia REACH and others).

• Chairing key forums and governance groups including SHE Committee, ERT meetings, and ensuring appropriate chairing for HAZOP and GMP teams.

• Authorising Management of Change requests and escalating process safety issues to the site Managing Director.

What you'll need to succeed

Essential:

• Degree (or equivalent) in a scientific, engineering or related discipline.

• Proven experience in a similar senior operations role within a chemical manufacturing environment.

• Proven people leadership experience, including developing teams and building site capability.

• Strong working knowledge of COMAH requirements (Upper Tier strongly preferred), including operational compliance and reporting.

• Fully conversant with Health, Safety, Environment, Waste legislation, and broader legal and regulatory compliance.

• Strong financial management experience across operational budgets and capex.

• Working knowledge of REACH compliance obligations and governance.

• Experience hosting and leading external compliance and performance audits, plus robust internal self-inspection.
  
  Desirable:

• Knowledge of, or experience within, the cadmium industry.

• Appreciation of Lean, CI, or similar manufacturing principles.

• Familiarity with energy saving initiatives, sustainability concepts and carbon reduction planning.

• Good understanding of GMP expectations and governance.
  
  

What you'll get in return

Excellent basic salary plus market leading benefits and the opportunity to join a growing organisation

What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.

If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.