Head of Operations

The Big Picture

Howden are a global engineering business who focus on providing clients with industrial products that help multiple sectors improve their everyday processes. Howden’s core focus is on providing quality solutions for air and gas handling, and have over a century of experience in doing so.

As a Head of Operations, you will provide effective, visible and inspirational leadership as a member of the Senior Management Team for the business unit and to be accountable for the manufacturing capability of the business. You will be a champion of health, safety and continuous improvement. Ensuring that new build and aftermarket products are manufactured on time, to the specified quality and at the agreed cost. You will also ensure the effective planning, resourcing and quality control of all manufacturing activities. Driving the highest levels of customer satisfaction as a result of the outputs and actions of the Operations Team. Inspiring and developing a high performing team within Operations which includes Apprentices.

What Needs To Be Done?
- To drive and uphold the highest levels of safety and well being within the team and the wider business.
- Ensure that Quality, Health & Safety and Environment assurance, control and regulatory compliance are maintained and that a behavioural approach to these matters is embedded across the organisation.
- Ensure a zero accident culture is maintained through a focus on all safety-related matters.
- To be accountable for and provide leadership and direction to all aspects of Operations, which primarily includes: Apprentices, Production Engineering, Fabrication, Machining and Assembly & Test.
- To ensure a strong One Team focus is present when the Operations Team work together with other teams within the business.
- Lead the development and execution of the Business Strategy for Operations.
- Develop a high performing team including the but not limited to the development of team members and performance management.
- Ensure the organisation is sufficiently skilled to meet production and product testing demands through the ongoing training and development of employees and by apprentice recruitment.
- To understand customer’s requirements, and support the development of future business opportunities and strategic relationships. Propose and justify key strategic partnerships with suppliers and business partners to improve operational performance.
- Ensuring that both contractual and non-contractual commitments towards customers and other stakeholders are achieved and that their expectations are managed appropriately.
- Set and achieve relevant performance targets, priorities, plans and metrics for the team and play an active role in the same for the wider business when required.
- To provide cost effective solutions to meet the demand at a profit. Identify, develop and drive medium and long term target opportunities to reduce cost and improve profitability whilst still achieving the required quality and schedule.
- To play an active role in the development and leadership of make v buy decisions that support the delivery of our products and services to the market place to meet the strategic business requirements.
- Ensure that machinery, equipment and the workplace environment is properly managed and maintained to meet required output, increase productivity and reduce waste.
- Maintain accurate visual management, daily/weekly forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling and control processes to support Sales & Operational Planning (S&OP) and ensure effective load/capacity balancing.
- Support the process for establishing and managing the department operating budget. Responsible for management of the budget and resources of own department.
- Management of matters related to external third parties including but not limited to those listed in the Contacts section of this document.
- To take and promote actions that pro-actively drive sustainable growth of the business.
- To be a problem solver, and not afraid to use new ideas / initiatives and challenge our processes.
- Leads initiatives and takes responsibility to improve safety, reduce delivery cycle times, reduce waste, improve response times, process improvements, improve sales margin, staff development and enable improved bookings.
- Identify and implement opportunities for the development of our products and services.
- Continually update and share personal knowledge of relevant new technologies, customer and market demands, legal, safety, contractual and export compliance regulations.
- Deputise for manager and other colleagues when required.
- Carry out any other reasonable request for a company or department level initiative or task as may be required from time to time.

What Do You Need To Bring?
- Essential skills, knowledge & behaviours_
- Highly experienced in operations management of a manufacturing business in a complex engineering environment
- Highly experienced delivering to high standards of safety