Operations Director

at  Leggett Platt

Kayfoam is a long-established manufacturer of foam and mattresses in Ireland with two sizeable multi-shift manufacturing facilities in Bluebell Industrial Estate, Dublin and Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. The company employs over 300 people, exports 70% of its output to the UK market and is best known to Irish consumers via its mattress brands, King Koil, Kaymed and Odearest. Kayfoam is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US multinational, Leggett & Platt, which is a diversified manufacturer with annual revenues in excess of $5 billion that designs and produces various engineered components and products that can be found in homes and automobiles worldwide.
As an Operations Director, you will be responsible for the day to day management of the Site Operations.Reporting to the MD, expected to deliver optimum site service to the business and be a key stakeholder in delivering value.As the leader of the Senior Leadership team, you will be required to drive planned and structured change to the site systems whilst aligning and supporting wider Group initiatives.

So, what will you be doing as an Operations Director?

• The Operations Manager is responsible for delivering key business goals through team-working, operational excellence and sound project management.
• The role requires strong leadership skills and the day-to-day demonstration of the appropriate attitudes and behaviours, encouraging the delivery of individual, team and site objectives.
• Improvements in individual and team performance must be based on a clear L&P / Kayfoam strategy, an agreed vision for the future, clarity of goals, focus and a sense of urgency.
• The job holder must “manage by facts” and set in place clear, unambiguous KPI’s that are well communicated and highlight the on-going performance of internal customer – supplier relationships and the wider needs of the business.
• The drive to deliver best industry practice along with optimal Sales support is paramount.
• Capacity creation and customer service are vital areas of focus.
• The Operations Manager is key to improving business performance by challenging and supporting the management team in their short-, medium- and long-term goals.
• Constructive feedback must be openly given along with appropriate support material.
• Day to day tasks must be conducted with an awareness that attitudes and behaviours are equally as important as skills and knowledge daily management of the site operations.
• Creation of a safe environment and key driver of the site safety objectives.
• Leader and planner of the Management / Operations Team activities.
• Overview of the quality systems and input into the construction of procedures and risk assessments.
• Awareness of, and communicator of, changes that effect the site Quality, Safety and Environmental systems.
• Development of the team through coaching and appraisal.
• Creation of value through optimum print planning and delivery.
• Delivery of specific training to encourage a consistent “one way of working” approach to the day-to-day tasks.
• Coaching the wider teams in a range of Lean techniques. (Yellow / Green / Black Belts).
• The pursuit of operational excellence by encouraging internal customer – supplier relationships.
• Awareness of sister sites best practice programmes and their translation into opportunities for the Daventry site.
• Support the Sales team with customer site visits and audits.
• Working with the Finance team to raise awareness of costs and the development of the appropriate financial targets.
• Support the HR programme by delivering structure, raising awareness of our legal responsibilities and consistent reinforcement of site aims and values.

To be successful in this role, you’ll need:

• University degree (BA, MSc, etc.) in Engineering, Production or Similar
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in similar position
• Experience leading day to day operations of a production facility
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams
• Open and communicative
• Willingness to help and support across all areas of the branch
• Ability to create and implement new ideas and strategies
• Passion for Health and Safety
• Solid track record of monitoring plant operations metrics
• Experience developing a Plant’s financial and capital budgets, monitoring performance results against budget and taking appropriate actions
• A track record of developing operational capability and capacity through leveraging technologies and people, including communicating the operations vision

So, what will you be doing as an Operations Director?

• The Operations Manager is responsible for delivering key business goals through team-working, operational excellence and sound project management.
• The role requires strong leadership skills and the day-to-day demonstration of the appropriate attitudes and behaviours, encouraging the delivery of individual, team and site objectives.
• Improvements in individual and team performance must be based on a clear L&P / Kayfoam strategy, an agreed vision for the future, clarity of goals, focus and a sense of urgency.
• The job holder must “manage by facts” and set in place clear, unambiguous KPI’s that are well communicated and highlight the on-going performance of internal customer – supplier relationships and the wider needs of the business.
• The drive to deliver best industry practice along with optimal Sales support is paramount.
• Capacity creation and customer service are vital areas of focus.
• The Operations Manager is key to improving business performance by challenging and supporting the management team in their short-, medium- and long-term goals.
• Constructive feedback must be openly given along with appropriate support material.
• Day to day tasks must be conducted with an awareness that attitudes and behaviours are equally as important as skills and knowledge daily management of the site operations.
• Creation of a safe environment and key driver of the site safety objectives.
• Leader and planner of the Management / Operations Team activities.
• Overview of the quality systems and input into the construction of procedures and risk assessments.
• Awareness of, and communicator of, changes that effect the site Quality, Safety and Environmental systems.
• Development of the team through coaching and appraisal.
• Creation of value through optimum print planning and delivery.
• Delivery of specific training to encourage a consistent “one way of working” approach to the day-to-day tasks.
• Coaching the wider teams in a range of Lean techniques. (Yellow / Green / Black Belts).
• The pursuit of operational excellence by encouraging internal customer – supplier relationships.
• Awareness of sister sites best practice programmes and their translation into opportunities for the Daventry site.
• Support the Sales team with customer site visits and audits.
• Working with the Finance team to raise awareness of costs and the development of the appropriate financial targets.
• Support the HR programme by delivering structure, raising awareness of our legal responsibilities and consistent reinforcement of site aims and values

To be successful in this role, you’ll need:

• University degree (BA, MSc, etc.) in Engineering, Production or Similar
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in similar position
• Experience leading day to day operations of a production facility
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams
• Open and communicative
• Willingness to help and support across all areas of the branch
• Ability to create and implement new ideas and strategies
• Passion for Health and Safety
• Solid track record of monitoring plant operations metrics
• Experience developing a Plant’s financial and capital budgets, monitoring performance results against budget and taking appropriate actions
• A track record of developing operational capability and capacity through leveraging technologies and people, including communicating the operations visio