Head of Operations

**Head of Operations**:

- Functional area: Manufacturing
- Country: UK - United Kingdom
- City: Washington
- Company name: Walker Filtration Ltd. UK
- Date of posting: Mar 3, 2025

As a key member of the senior leadership team, this role will have strategic and tactical responsibility for implementing Walker Filtrations Operations strategy. They will oversee and deliver strategic and operational goals to exceed customer expectations for product quality, cost, and delivery, maximise efficiency, optimise production levels and drive operational excellence.

This role has overall responsibility for Operations manufacturing which includes people and budgetary management and is part of the leadership team that determines the overall business strategy (and associated decisions). Accountable for driving all operational initiatives, this role oversees the entire manufacturing process for all business lines and spans: manufacturing, continuous improvement, planned/preventive maintenance, warehousing & material flow, process engineering and production/material planning.

A key requirement of this role will be to work closely with internal and external stakeholders. To network and implement best practice from across the Atlas Copco Group and champion initiatives that strive for best-in-class products and business practices to exceed our customer’s expectations.

Your mission is to champion a proactive quality culture, ensuring we remain the partner of choice in delivering exceptional quality expertise and world-class customer service. At Walker Filtration, our vision is to be first in mind and first in choice for pure, sustainable clean air and gas purification with emphasis on attention to detail and getting it right first time.

**Responsibilities include**:
**Operations Management**:

- Drive operational performance to achieve results against Key Performance Indicators across all areas of responsibility. With full accountability for ensuring safety, build quality, on time delivery and cost, ensuring our commitments are delivered and that we exceed our customers’ expectations.
- Maximize efficiency and productivity through extensive process analysis, working collaboratively to develop strategies for inventory management, workforce scheduling and equipment maintenance.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement, enhancing processes through digitalisation, automation and operational best practice to improve efficiency, productivity, customer delivery and compliance.
- Provide design for manufacturing input at early stages in the new product development process, coordinating with and supporting the new product development team to implement new and optomised manufacturing methods.

**Strategy and Development**:

- Contribute to the creation and execution of best-in-class operations vision and strategy (with supporting policies, processes, and procedures) to aid and improve business performance and support growth.
- Evaluate the challenges faced by the business and take action to mitigate risks and develop opportunities.
- Identify and implement appropriate manufacturing techniques, such as improving 5S and lean techniques to improve efficiencies. Where valued ensure new technology is developed and embedded within the manufacturing processes.
- Implement a customer focused operational culture delivering world class customer service levels

**People Management**:

- Provide clear leadership and vision, inspire, and motivate the team to achieve operational excellence.
- Coach, mentor and develop direct reports and develop a high performing team that delivers continuous improvement, added value and cost reductions.
- Translate the business and operations strategy into specific annual performance goals and departmental objectives to drive delivery.
- Ensure strong communication between teams to facilitate exchange of information and to implement change and improvements.
- Develop the appropriate structure, resource plans and culture to support the business objectives and customer deliverables.
- Provide leadership, coordination and coaching to the team, ensuring they are trained enabling them to achieve the operational and financial metrics within their areas of responsibility and succeed in their roles.
- Lead activities to optimise cost performance through capital investment programmes, optimising operating working capital usage
- Minimise waste through the development of a continuous improvement culture encompassing lean principles and clear strategic development.

**Financial and Budget Management**:

- Overall responsibility for Walker Filtrations Operations budgets.
- Prepare the annual budget and forecasts and all Capital Expenditure proposals as well as ensuring compliance with legal standards. Manage the operations budget from identification to completion of projects.

**Relationship Management**:

- Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure optimal performance.