Head of Operations

As Head of Operations you will take end-to-end operational ownership of several production finishing streams.

Bluetree Group is a fast-paced, technology-led manufacturing environment. In this role, you will build, mentor and lead a high-performing management team to deliver operational excellence across our seven key systems: Safety & 5S, Output, Flow, Quality, People, Commerciality, and Equipment.

About the position:

• Salary up to £75,000 , depending on experience
• This position is based onsite 5 days a week at our offices in Manvers, Rotherham.
• Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week
• Reporting to our Operations Director

Key Responsibilities & System Ownership

Safety & 5S

• Ensure the 5S and Safety system is healthy in all areas with a constant process of reviews and audits.
• Champion a safety first culture across ensuring issues are resolved quickly
• Embed continuous 5S standards to maximise workplace safety, visual management, and productivity.

Output

• Drive performance against daily, weekly, and monthly targets.
• Manage a team of supervisors to ensure they are delivering consistent output in their areas of responsibility.
• Manage shift capacity and resource planning to support peak volume demands while achieving on time delivery.

Flow

• Establish repeatable processes to ensure there is a constant flow of work to finishing operations.
• Monitor time through process and remove bottlenecks to ensure work consistently flows.
• Manage sequencing through to ensure the right jobs are completed in the right sequence and delivered to the customer on time.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure right-first-time quality by embedding robust in-process checks and ensuring actions are taken where processes drift out of tolerance.
• Analyse quality non-conformances, root-cause failures and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Ensure specialists are actively solving technical issues that cause quality defects.

People & Leadership

• Build and develop a high-performing team.
• Build a culture of accountability, performance coaching and cross-training.
• Ensure all processes and people have a secondary role to build resilience.

Commerciality

• Manage operational budgets, driving down cost-per-unit through efficiency gains, waste reduction and labor utilisation.
• Collaborate with procurement and finance teams to improve profitability and reduce unit cost.

Equipment

• Build a culture where equipment is well maintained by operators.
• Ensure all machines are available to run and work with Engineering to resolve any issues when they arise.
• Establish robust Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) routines.

Person Specification

Required Experience & Skills

• Operational Leadership: Proven track record running high-volume manufacturing operations.
• Lean Manufacturing: Practical experience deploying Lean toolkits e.g. 5S.
• People Management: Demonstrable success in restructuring or building high performing teams and managing change.

Key Behaviours

• Decisive & Results-Driven: High energy with a clear bias for action and delivery under pressure.
• Analytical: Uses data to root cause operational challenges.
• Collaborative Communicator: Able to influence effectively at all levels, from shop floor operators to executive leadership.
• Process Driven: Establishes new processes that repeatedly deliver results.

Why Join the Bluetree Team?

At Bluetree Group, we don’t just print; we innovate. We believe in investing in the people who make our success possible. Here’s how we look after you:

• Health First: Access to a marketing leading Health Cash Plan and comprehensive wellbeing support, including onsite training and access to free external support.
• Family Support: Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption packages to support your life outside of work.
• Rest & Recharge: 22 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), with a "Length of Service" program that earns you more days the longer you stay.
• Social: From regular team socials to our legendary annual Summer and Christmas Parties, plus biennial Long Service celebrations; we know how to celebrate success.
• Financial Wellness: Enrolment in our company pension scheme.
• Rewards: Access to various discounts via Bluetree Rewards, weekend break giveaways, and long-service gifts to mark your milestones, starting from year 1!
• Career Development: We champion personal development with a wide range of internal and external training opportunities available.
• Fitness: Save on a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme, or join our weekly football team to burn off some steam!
• Daily Comforts: Fuel your day with free fruit, snacks, and beverages in our modern canteen.
• Easy Commute: Free onsite parking at our state-of-the-art facility. We are also ideally located for public transport, just minutes from Mexborough, Swinton, and Wombwell train stations.

About Bluetree Group

We exist to make print buying easy and small businesses look exceptional. Established in 1989, Bluetree Group has grown to be the UK’s largest online printer. Based in Wath Upon Dearne (conveniently located near Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, and Doncaster), our 165,000 sq. ft. facility is the heart of our operation. From the moment you walk through our doors, you’ll realize that our people are central to everything we do.

Ready to grow with us?

For Privacy information please follow this link to our privacy notice on our website under the home page https://www.bluetreegroup.co.uk