Operations Director

Operations Director

Our client is a well-established, multi-site operational business with a strong reputation for safety, service excellence and performance. As the organisation continues to grow, it is now seeking an experienced operational leader to join the Executive Board and take full accountability for operational performance across the Group.

The Job:

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Operations Director will lead and transform all operational activities across the business, with full accountability for operational performance, service excellence, safety, asset utilisation, regulatory compliance, operational profitability and strategic execution.

The successful candidate will:

• Develop and execute the Group Operational Strategy in line with the corporate vision and growth objectives, contributing to Board decision-making and corporate governance.
• Hold full responsibility for operational financial performance, managing annual budgets, forecasts and capital expenditure programmes, and driving sustainable margin improvement through productivity, efficiency and cost reduction.
• Lead all operational and operational support functions, creating a standardised operating model across all sites and establishing clear performance metrics and accountability frameworks.
• Drive Lean, Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence initiatives, benchmarking performance against best-in-class operators.
• Ensure full compliance with all relevant licensing, regulatory, health & safety and environmental legislation, leading the Group’s operational risk management framework and sponsoring a proactive safety-first culture.
• Build executive-level relationships with key customers, supporting the securing of strategic contracts and leading major issue resolution activities.
• Lead and develop senior operational leaders across the Group, building succession plans for all critical operational positions and championing employee wellbeing and engagement.
• Lead operational due diligence for acquisitions, mergers and business integrations, and champion digital transformation, sustainability and continuous improvement.

The Person:

We are seeking an experienced executive with a strong track record of leading large, multi-site operations and full P&L accountability.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate:

• Executive leadership experience within an operationally intensive, multi-site environment.
• A proven track record of delivering business transformation and growth programmes.
• Experience managing significant operational budgets with full P&L responsibility.
• Strong commercial and strategic leadership capability, with experience operating at Board or Executive Committee level.
• A track record of building high-performance, safety-first cultures and developing senior leadership teams.
• The successful candidate will be a commercially astute, credible and visible leader; someone equally comfortable shaping Board-level strategy and driving standards on the ground across a complex, multi-site organisation.

To Apply:

If you have the experience and drive to lead operations for a market leading, multi-site business at Board level, please send a tailored CV using the appropriate method or call Lucas Executive Search for a confidential discussion about the opportunity.

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.