General Manager - Manufacturing
Unipart · Direct employer
Coventry
Up to £90,000 plus car/car allowance, 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), pension, bonus, life assurance, employee assistance programme, wellbeing support, and flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme
About the Role
Unipart Manufacturing is launching a flagship, fast-paced manufacturing project in Coventry, combining high-volume electrification assembly with complex injection moulding inputs. Fully aligned with Unipart’s Sector and Growth Strategy and The Unipart Way Forward Plan, this role carries full end-to-end accountability for building a 200+ person site from the ground up within 16 weeks. We are seeking a high-velocity, commercially sharp General Manager to lead site mobilisation, embed Unipart Way systems, drive operational delivery, and position this contract to evolve into a standalone business unit.
As part of your key responsibilities you’ll focus on:
- Rapid Workforce Mobilisation - Lead workforce planning, talent resourcing, and onboarding to scale operations from 0 to 200+ team members within 4 months
- P&L and Commercial Leadership - Take full P&L accountability, managing budgets, driving cost efficiency, optimising resource allocation, and identifying accretive growth opportunities
- Operational Excellence - Oversee site Health, Safety, Environment, Quality, and daily throughput across electrification assembly and injection moulding lines
- Culture and The Unipart Way - Embed Unipart Way systems, continuous improvement tools, and problem-solving methodologies across all shifts, serving as a role model
- Partner and Customer Engagement - Act as senior operational liaison, supporting the Manufacturing Partner Strategy, managing executive customer relationships, and delivering on key contract milestones
We’d love you to have the following skills and experience, but please apply if you think you’d be able to perform well in this role!
- Scale-Up Leadership - Proven track record as a General Manager or Operations Director leading volume-driven manufacturing plants (100–250+ colleagues) through rapid growth or mobilisation
- Technical Expertise - Experience in electrification/electromechanical assembly, injection moulding, or complex automotive/industrial operations
- Lean Mastery - Deep understanding of continuous improvement tools (The Unipart Way, Lean, Six Sigma) and employee engagement systems
- Commercial Acumen - Strong background in full P&L ownership, customer relationship management, and driving strategic execution
- Qualifications - Degree (or equivalent) in an engineering or business discipline; Lean Six Sigma certification is desirable
We are a supply chain performance improvement partner. We Design, Make, Move, and Improve components in our customers’ supply chains, keeping their operations and assets moving and working better, for longer. Through our commitment to continuously driving operational efficiencies, we improve performance - saving time, cost, and carbon. Our ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We believe that a great workplace is one where you can bring your whole self to work. Our recruitment process is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and based entirely on merit. We define merit through a combination of technical skills and the core behaviours that help our people thrive at Unipart. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background or circumstances. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity that exceeds our statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and subsequent legislation. Whether it’s your age, disability, neurodiversity, gender identity, family status, or any other characteristic that makes you ‘you’ - it is your talent and potential that we value most. Adjustments for you: We want you to perform at your best. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know. We are here to support you.
You may have experience in the following: Operations Director, Plant Manager, Site Director, Manufacturing Director, Head of Manufacturing, Production Director, Factory General Manager, Site General Manager, Operations Manager, Manufacturing General Manager, etc.
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