Head of Workshop

Responsibilities / Tasks

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Workshop Manager to lead all aspects of our workshop operations, ensuring the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency. The role requires strong leadership, technical understanding, and commercial awareness to manage people, processes, and budgets effectively. This is an excellent opportunity for a results-driven professional to drive operational excellence and contribute to the continued growth of our service business. (This role is based at our Milton Keynes office)

Leadership & Overall Accountability:

• Oversee all workshop operations to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality delivery of services in line with GEA WSN standards and company policies.

• Manage and support all workshop and service personnel, ensuring clarity of roles, adherence to agreed processes, and ongoing performance development.

• Take overall responsibility for Health, Safety, and Quality within the workshop, promoting a culture of compliance and continuous improvement.

Job Planning, Execution & Control

• Ensure all incoming jobs are accurately entered and maintained in SAP by OMS administration, and that all related data (budgets, technical specifications, completion dates) are correctly managed.

• Plan and allocate labour and resources effectively to meet job schedules, budgets, and technical requirements.

• Implement and maintain inspection and quality protocols for both standard service jobs and complex or large-scale workshop repairs.

• Oversee the progress of all workshop and outsourced (e.g., Germany-based) repairs, ensuring timely completion and proactive escalation of potential delays.

• Maintain accurate records of all workshop jobs, including documentation of progress, inspections, and completion reports.

Customer Communication & Relationship Management

• Keep customers informed throughout the repair process, providing updates, reports, and completion documentation as required.

• Manage any additional work identified during repair processes, ensuring that associated costs and scope changes are agreed with the customer before proceeding.

• Provide technical and management-level support to customers on-site or remotely when required, including after-hours assistance to meet business needs.

Financial & Administrative Control

• Manage the workshop budget, ensuring all purchases and capital investments follow the correct requisition and authorization procedures.

• Ensure job costs are accurately captured, invoices issued promptly, and financial controls maintained throughout the repair lifecycle.

• Oversee SAP and CRM processes, ensuring job orders are correctly managed, all lines closed upon completion, and sales opportunities captured.

• Produce accurate and timely management and financial reports as required.

Equipment, Facilities & Asset Management

• Ensure all workshop tools, equipment, and lifting gear are properly maintained, calibrated, and certified in accordance with safety and quality standards.

• Oversee maintenance and recordkeeping for all workshop vehicles, including vans, forklifts, and other plant assets.

Continuous Improvement & Business Growth

• Identify and implement improvements to workshop processes, quality, and efficiency to protect margins and enhance performance.

• Collaborate with the Customer Success and Business Development team to develop initiatives that promote business growth and help achieve budgeted targets.

• Contribute actively to International Repair Network (IRN) initiatives and support the rollout of new business strategies or improvements relevant to the UK operation.

Systems & Technical Proficiency

• Maintain proficiency in SAP and CRM systems for job management, financial tracking, and opportunity management.

• Support the wider team with technical expertise and operational guidance on a daily basis

Your Profile / Qualifications

• City & Guilds Apprenticeship (or equivalent) in a relevant engineering discipline.

• Minimum of 5 years’ leadership experience in a service or repair management role.

• Proven background working within a service-focused organization.

• Experience working with ERP systems and navigating processes within complex business environments.

• Strong practical understanding of modern service and repair techniques, with a commitment to best practice.

• Confident and effective leader who takes ownership, drives accountability and supports their team’s development.

• Analytical problem solver with the ability to identify issues, interpret data and implement effective solutions.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, comfortable working across teams and levels.

• Change-positive mindset, able to adapt and support continuous improvement.

• Technical knowledge of separators, decanters, compressors, or homogenizers would be an advantage (but not essential).

Did we spark your interest?
Then please click apply above to access our guided application process.