Operations directors · Greater Manchester

Operations Management Recruitment in Manchester

Hiring a general manager in Manchester? We look at the P&L they have run and the teams they have built before anything else.

Greater Manchester

Permanent operations directors for Manchester

Operations leaders are judged on service, cost, safety and the people who choose to stay. We recruit leaders who can show all four.

Across Greater Manchester, many leadership vacancies sit at sites such as Trafford Park (one of Europe's largest industrial estates), Omega in Warrington and Airport City. We search for leaders who already know that market.

A general manager who leaves in the first year unsettles the team, the client and the numbers at the same time.

The strongest operations candidates across Greater Manchester are usually already leading operations for businesses such as retail and grocery DCs, national 3PLs, e-commerce fulfilment and port and container logistics.

Positions we place

From site leaders to operations directors

The people who own the service, the costs and the team.

What sets the desk apart

An operations desk, not a generalist agency

Client management

For contract logistics roles we look for leaders who have kept and grown a client relationship, not just hit the service levels.

Safety leadership

Every operations screen covers the candidate's approach to health and safety.

Beyond the start date

We stay in touch through the first months as the new leader takes charge.

What the market pays

What operations leaders earn in Manchester

Indicative permanent salaries in Manchester run from around £45k for operations managers up to £100k+ for operations directors.

Operations pay in the North West moves with the size of the operation, the number of sites and the contract: multi-site and director roles earn the most. Figures are indicative, not a guarantee.

How it works

What happens after you brief us

Market mapping

We map the leaders running comparable operations within a realistic commute or relocation.

The shortlist

A short list of leaders, each with notes on scale, results and leadership style.

Offer and onboarding

We help agree the package and stay in touch while the new leader takes charge.

Your brief

What we ask at the start

Strong operations managers become general managers and then directors. Hiring well builds that bench.

We find out what made each candidate leave their last role, because that tells us whether yours will keep them.

A strong operations brief covers:

  • The operation, its sites and its sector
  • Turnover or budget under the role's control
  • Who the role reports to
  • Your interview process, including presentations
Live vacancies

Permanent operations management jobs in the North West

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Operations FAQs

Worth knowing

Which operations roles do you recruit for?

Operations and general managers, site and regional operations managers, operations directors, heads of operations, contract managers, continuous improvement managers and mobilisation managers.

Can you run a confidential search?

Yes. Senior searches can be run discreetly, including when the current post holder is still in place.

Can you recruit a leadership team for a new contract?

Yes. We can recruit the general manager and senior team together, timed to the contract start.

Do you recruit multi-site roles?

Yes. Tell us the sites and the travel involved so we approach leaders who want that kind of role.

What keeps an operations leader?

Authority to decide, investment in the site, realistic targets and a package in line with the market.

Where to next

Related operations pages for Manchester

Operations management recruitment elsewhere in the North West:

Other specialisms in Manchester:

See our national Operations Management Recruitment page, or all logistics recruitment in Manchester.

Planning for succession?

Start an operations search

One brief covers a single leader or the senior team for a new contract.