Optical Operations Supervisor

About the job:

We’re looking for a Dispensing Optician or Experienced Optical Assistant to join our HQ team, at Supervisor level. The Supervisor should be a detail-oriented individual with a strong work ethic, and exceptional leadership skills to effectively guide and inspire our passionate teams. You’ll support our Workshop, and Customer Support teams with your optical advice and expertise.

IOLLA HQ is an excellent environment to use the optical skills you have, but in a different way, and a different environment. You’ll be supporting internal operations rather than being customer facing, and you’ll connect with our team members across the business to help them deliver the best service possible to our customers.

The Optical Operations Supervisor is crucial in ensuring the seamless daily operation of our central functions. Working closely with the Workshop Manager, this role coordinates manufacturing, logistics, and order processing activities, guaranteeing every customer receives an exceptional IOLLA product and experience. This position bridges our experienced workshop and customer support teams, so you will also support our Customer Support team hands-on, with optical advice and your expertise.

What you will do:

• Living and representing IOLLA's company values, being a motivational and positive presence within our teams.

• Overseeing and assisting in the planning, co-ordination and supervision of our day-to-day functions.

• Monitoring the production process to ensure targeted SLAs are met, including providing support for workshop processes when necessary.

• Assist with stock and lens inventory management, ensuring all optical products meet compliance and safety standards. 

• Analysing and interpreting operational data to identify trends, areas for improvement, and inform strategic decision-making.

• Developing and implementing operational policies and procedures to optimise efficiency and productivity.

• Collaborating with other departments to ensure smooth cross-functional operations and project delivery.

• Ensuring exemplary quality of work standards are maintained

• Maintain a safe and clean working environment, ensuring that all team members follow health and safety procedures within the workspace. 

• Managing stock returns, lens returns and returns invoicing

• Working closely with the Workshop Manager to manage and up-skill the Central Operations team

• Building rotas and resource planning to predict human resource needs based on capacity planning

• Delivery of effective 1-2-1s, performance management and all aspects of the day to day people management processes

• Continuously seek out new and innovative ways to improve efficiencies

• Staying up-to-date with industry best practices and new technologies to continuously improve central operations.

• Leading by example to embed new processes and ways of working

• Communicating effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders

About you:

• A qualified Dispensing Optician (FBDO) or equivalent experience within an optical practice, optical retail, manufacturing or eyewear operations. 

• A leader who demonstrates strong interpersonal skills

• Excellent communication skills with an ability to build relationships with all internal/external stakeholders

• Strong organisational capabilities and effective time management

• Ability to prioritise tasks and problem solve, with a capacity to think outside the box to find solutions

• Great at working with others - building effective departmental and stakeholder relationships

• Agile - flexing responsively to change with a positive approach

• Thrives in a busy, multi-tasking, fast-paced environment.

• A can do attitude - we work as a team at IOLLA

• Highly self-motivated and enjoys working autonomously

• Proficient in Google suite applications