Head of Operations – Energy Sector

The Head of Operations is a critical leadership role responsible for ensuring the continued performance, safety, and efficiency of one of Australia’s most respected manufacturing businesses. Reporting to the divisional CEO, this position plays a pivotal role in leading all manufacturing, engineering, quality, and safety functions to achieve the operational, financial, and strategic objectives.

The role will drive day‑to‑day operational excellence across the regional facility, ensuring production plans are met, quality standards are maintained, and continuous improvement initiatives are embedded across all teams. It will also provide leadership and direction to functional leads within Manufacturing, HSE, Quality, Plant and Facilities, and Process Engineering — fostering collaboration, capability development, and a high‑performance culture aligned with the core values of Safety, Quality, Integrity, and Teamwork. This is a hands‑on, commercially astute leadership role requiring strong technical acumen, disciplined execution, and the ability to lead people through operational and cultural transformation in a complex, capital‑intensive manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will be a highly capable operational leader with a strong background in manufacturing, engineering, or industrial operations within large‑scale or precision manufacturing environments. You will combine technical and commercial acumen with a proven ability to lead teams, drive accountability, and deliver sustained performance improvement. This individual will be hands‑on yet strategic, capable of balancing daily operational discipline with long‑term process and capability development. A confident communicator and people leader, you will inspire teams to achieve safety, quality, and production excellence, while fostering collaboration across the wider business.

You will also embody the core values — Safety, Quality, Integrity, and Teamwork — and demonstrate a passion for Australian manufacturing, engineering excellence, and continuous improvement.

Critical for consideration :

• Degree in Engineering or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in senior operational leadership within heavy or precision manufacturing.
• Proven success leading large teams and complex production environments with accountability for manufacturing, safety, and quality.
• Experience in a highly progressive manufacturing environment (i.e. robotics / automation).
• Strong financial and commercial acumen with experience managing budgets and cost drivers.
• In‑depth understanding of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and AS4801 systems.
• Demonstrated experience in performance improvement, lean manufacturing, and process optimisation.
• Proficiency in MS Office and ERP systems.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with a collaborative and decisive leadership style.

If your background and experience is commensurate with the defined experience above, and you are open to relocating to of Australia’s fastest‑growing regional hubs, please call Paul Tulip from Yorkshire Bridge on 0429 581 200 for a confidential discussion.

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