Career Opportunities at Reliance

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Reliance is committed to company development through internal employee growth and selective recruitment. Reliance seeks to employ people who can demonstrate the key values of reliability, integrity and innovation.

About Reliance Precision
Founded in 1920, Reliance Precision Limited is a family-owned engineering company specialising in the design, manufacture, assembly and test of highly complex components and sub-assemblies that play a critical role in the performance of the final application. Reliance is an established supplier to a diverse range of global markets including aerospace defence, analytical instruments and space. We are committed to providing the highest quality of product and service. Our company principles are underpinned by our vision: to build a company together that lasts. Reliance is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion amongst its workforce. We are one community to which everyone belongs.

To apply for a vacancy, please send your CV to careers@reliance.co.uk

We are currently looking to recruit for the following positions:

Head of Operations

About the Role

We are looking for a Head of Operations to lead and develop our multifunctional operations team.

As part of our succession plan the successful candidate will work closely with the current postholder, who retires later in the year, for a smooth transition into this permanent, full-time position.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer the successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of Operations including Manufacturing, Assembly, Production Engineering, Metrology, NPI, Procurement, Maintenance, Facilities and Stores.

Working in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer and the Management Team the Head of Operations will help shape and deliver ambitious growth plans by driving performance quality and staff engagement. This is a key leadership role which will be instrumental in supporting a quality excellence culture and driving the on-going transformation to digital technology and state of the art manufacturing excellence programmes.

The successful candidate will possess the skills to lead employees in a complex manufacturing environment of low volume, high variety, precision parts and an electro-mechanical assembly function to create best in class service to the customer base and to develop its future state.  The role will develop good manufacturing practices and efficient shop layouts to develop the right first-time culture utilising Continual Improvement practices to support the delivery of the company’s long-term goals.

Reliance Precision prides itself on the welfare and staff care it provides to its employees.  The Head of Operations will ensure these good practices are reinforced as part of the operational activities. The combination of high technical standards and manufacturing skills, together with the high welfare standards are key to the development of our offering to the customer base to be the best-in-class supplier for our challenging components and assemblies.

The customer base is across multiple sectors, including Analytical Instruments, Aerospace Defence and Space and Standard Products, all requiring high OTIF and quality.

Main responsibilities but not limited to:

  • Leadership and development of the Operations team to support future growth and direction of the business.
  • Contribution to the creation and implementation of best practice to improve operational performance.
  • Accelerating the pace of continual improvement across Operations.
  • Introduction of new products utilising APQP and PPAP processes.
  • Develop the use of Sales and Operations Planning (SIOP) to manage and match the customer orders and forecast demand with the manufacturing supply from Components and Assembly.
  • Use the Order Fulfilment Process to co-ordinate the multiple activities and capacities to improve OTIF levels to delight Customers.
  • Improve and develop NPI and Rapid Prototyping Capability using the variety of subtractive and additive manufacturing processes available to create the rapid response required to meet customer requirements.
  • Delivering improved performance by utilising SQDC Boards and GEMBA walks.

Skills and Qualifications

  • Experience of working in a senior operations leadership role.
  • Experience of operations processes to support the formulation of company strategy.
  • Degree in Mechanical Engineering (desirable)
  • Lean Practitioner – continual improvement techniques of Lean Six Sigma.
  • Experience in leading managing, developing and building effective teams and training needs analysis.
  • Experience of skills definition and development.
  • Possessing strong leadership, drive, initiative, motivation and attention to detail skills, ensuring opportunities are captured and explored effectively.
  • Strong management and organisational skills.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • IMechE Chartered Member (desirable)

Hours of Work

38 hours per week

How to Apply

For more information or to apply for the role please send a CV and covering letter to careers@reliance.co.uk

Closing date 07 April 2024

Looking for information about our Apprenticeship Scheme? Please visit our Apprenticeships page.