Head of Operations

You have spent years making operations work in businesses where the margin for error is thin and the customer expectation is high. You know what good looks like, and more importantly, you know how to build it where it does not yet exist. If you are ready for a role where you'll look after the the whole operation - then this could be for you.

Grampian Fasteners

Grampian Fasteners is an established distributor of industrial fasteners with a strong reputation for excellent customer service for over 30 years. It operates in many sectors with a significant focus on energy. From standard fasteners to exotic materials for demanding environments, they operate at the technically challenging end of industrial distribution: the kind of supply chain where a missing bolt is not an inconvenience, it can be an expensive shutdown.

What makes them genuinely interesting is the scale of reach from a relatively compact operation. Operating locally, nationally and internationally from Aberdeen, this is a business that punches well above its weight. ISO 9001 certified, BIAFD member, and technically credible in a sector that demands it.

The organisation is at a pivotal stage in its evolution, with ambitious plans for the future. Turnover has increased to record levels, and the MD is investing deliberately structuring the management to support the next phase of growth.

The Role

This is a newly created position. Grampian Fasteners has recorded record turnover this year and the MD is building the management layer that will carry the business forward. Your job is to set the tone for the operation through a continuous improvement mindset as well as accountability structures and performance culture that a business at this stage genuinely needs. You will lead a team of department heads across warehouse, procurement, sales and finance- developing people, challenging process, and running the quarterly strategy cadence alongside the MD.

This is not a maintenance role. It is a building role. You will oversee the transition to Epicor Prophet21, drive process improvement across the operation, and act as the commercial bridge between the operational team and the sales function. If you want to be part of shaping what a 30-year-old business looks like in its next chapter, this is that seat.

What you need

• You have built operational structure in a growth-stage business before. You know the difference between process that serves the team and bureaucracy that slows it down - and you build the former
• You manage through others, not around them. Department heads under your leadership know what is expected, are supported to deliver it, and are held accountable when they do not
• You do not wait for problems to be escalated. You find them, frame them, and fix them. This is non-negotiable here
• You understand that operational decisions have commercial consequences. Margin on low-value, high-volume items matters. Customer service levels are not a soft metric - they are a commercial one
• You are comfortable with ERP and business management systems. Experience with Epicor Prophet21 or similar platforms is a genuine advantage - the business is mid-transition and needs someone who can lead that process, not learn it from scratch

What they offer

• £55,000 - £70,000 base salary
• Private medical insurance
• 28 days holiday plus one additional day per year of service, rising to 32 days
• Hybrid working with flexible hours
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme and on-site EV charging
• Bike to Work scheme

Application process

If this sounds like the right opportunity, we'd love to hear from you. Please send your CV to gosia@creegantalent.com