Site Operations Lead - Electronics
3 days ago
Cramlington
Site Operational Lead - Electronics North East | Permanent | From £75k + 15% bonus (up to 20%) + pension + healthcare Reporting to: COO About the Opportunity A newly built electronics assembly site in the North East is entering a major growth phase, with new product lines and continuous investment planned year after year. We’re looking for a results‑driven Site Operations Leader to take full ownership of the operation and develop it into a world‑class, best‑in‑class manufacturing facility. You’ll lead the evolution of the site — driving Lean, zero‑WIP, zero‑defect, and zero‑stoppage performance, while embedding Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing practices. This is a rare chance to shape a modern electronics manufacturing environment from the ground up. Production & Operations • Oversee SMT, THT, and assembly operations with the senior Production Manager, • Ensure efficient, high‑quality, low‑downtime production, • Maintain zero WIP through smart planning, takt optimisation, and flow management, • Drive real‑time decision‑making on the shop floor, • Ensure full compliance with safety, standards, and procedures Lean, CI & Process Excellence • Champion Lean tools: 5S, Kaizen, VSM, Kanban, • Eliminate waste, reduce cost, and improve flow, • Lead CI projects and root‑cause investigations Quality Leadership • Embed a culture of world‑class quality and IPC compliance, • Partner with QA/QE to resolve non‑conformances and improve FPY People Leadership • Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, line leaders, and operators, • Build a high‑performance, accountable, continuous‑learning culture Digital Transformation • Drive adoption of Industry 4.0 tools and data‑driven decision‑making, • Implement scalable digital solutions: predictive maintenance, digital twins, automated data capture, advanced analytics Financial & Strategic Ownership • Manage budgets, cost control, and investment planning, • Deliver KPI‑driven insights and performance reporting, • Partner with the COO on long‑term operational strategy What You Bring • Degree in Electronics, Industrial Engineering, or similar, • 10+ years in electronics manufacturing, including 5+ in leadership, • Deep expertise in SMT, THT, PCBA processes and equipment, • Proven Lean/Zero‑WIP implementation experience, • Strong leadership, communication, and problem‑solving skills, • Experience with ERP/MES and manufacturing KPIs, • Six Sigma or Lean certification, • Background in high‑mix, low‑to‑medium volume environments, • Familiarity with Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing technologies Whys You’ll have the autonomy, investment, and strategic backing to build a truly world‑class electronics manufacturing site — shaping its culture, capability, and long‑term direction. Start People is the Assigned Agency for this position