Workshop Manager (Furniture Manufacturing)
Lead. Improve. Build.
Location: Clay Flatts Industrial Estate, Workington, Cumbria
Salary: £35,000 – £42,500 OTE
Job Type: Full Time | Permanent
Build More Than Furniture. Build a Workshop.
Acumen Collection designs and manufactures handmade furniture from our workshop in Workington, Cumbria. Every dining table, shelf, console table and coffee table is built to order by our own team using traditional craftsmanship combined with modern manufacturing systems.
We're looking for an ambitious Workshop Manager to help lead the next stage of our growth.
This isn't a traditional workshop management role.
Over the last 12 months we've transformed the way our workshop operates. We've invested heavily in bespoke production software, barcode scanning throughout production, digital work packs, AI-assisted productivity reporting, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and live KPI reporting.
Production planning is now largely system-led, allowing our Workshop Manager to focus on what really matters—leading people, maintaining exceptional quality, improving workshop efficiency and building a high-performing manufacturing team.
We're not looking for someone to simply manage today's workload.
We're looking for someone who wants to help build one of the best furniture manufacturing workshops in Cumbria.
The Opportunity
This is a genuine leadership opportunity for someone who enjoys improving people, processes and productivity.
The role combines hands-on furniture manufacturing with workshop leadership, giving you the opportunity to remain actively involved in production while helping shape the future direction of the workshop.
You'll work closely with the Managing Director and receive structured weekly production work packs generated through our production management system.
Your responsibility is to ensure those work packs are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest possible standard.
Approximately:
- 60–70% of your time will be spent working alongside the team manufacturing furniture.
- 30–40% will be spent leading the team, allocating work, maintaining quality standards, coaching staff and driving continuous improvement.
Your ResponsibilitiesWorkshop Leadership
- Lead the workshop team by example.
- Allocate daily work and manage workshop priorities.
- Drive productivity and operational efficiency.
- Maintain a safe, organised and professional workshop.
- Build a positive culture based on accountability and pride in workmanship.
- Coach, mentor and develop workshop staff.
- Support recruitment and onboarding of new team members.
Production & Operations
- Ensure weekly production work packs are completed on schedule.
- Coordinate workflow across the workshop.
- Identify bottlenecks and opportunities to improve efficiency.
- Maximise the effective use of labour, machinery and materials.
- Work closely with the Managing Director to improve workshop performance.
Quality & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain consistently high manufacturing standards.
- Carry out quality inspections throughout production.
- Improve and develop existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Recommend and implement improvements to workshop processes.
- Drive a culture of continuous improvement throughout the workshop.
Hands-On Manufacturing
We believe the best Workshop Managers lead from the front.
The majority of your practical work will involve manufacturing our handmade dining tables.
This includes:
- Cutting and preparing Scandinavian redwood pine.
- Glue and biscuit jointing solid timber table tops.
- Following detailed production work packs and customer specifications.
- Cutting and preparing angle iron battens.
- Routing table edges and profiles.
- Sanding and preparing furniture ready for finishing.
- Carrying out quality inspections throughout production.
- Operating workshop machinery safely, including:
- Table saws
- Planer thicknessers
- Surface planers
- Chop saws
- Routers
- Hand and power tools
Every product we manufacture is handmade to order.
Accuracy, consistency and pride in your workmanship are essential.
What Success Looks Like
Within your first 12 months, we'd expect you to have helped us achieve:
- A highly organised and efficient workshop.
- Consistently high manufacturing standards.
- A motivated team that enjoys coming to work.
- Improved productivity through better leadership and organisation.
- Better SOPs and continuously improving manufacturing processes.
- A culture where accountability, teamwork and craftsmanship are the norm.
Who We're Looking For
Technical ability is important.
Leadership is even more important.
We're looking for someone who naturally:
- Leads by example.
- Takes ownership.
- Commands respect through actions rather than job title.
- Holds people accountable fairly and consistently.
- Communicates confidently.
- Maintains exceptionally high standards.
- Coaches and develops others.
- Solves problems proactively.
- Stays organised under pressure.
- Constantly looks for better ways of working.
- Takes genuine pride in producing outstanding furniture.
If you've ever found yourself improving systems simply because you believed there had to be a better way, you'll probably enjoy this role.
Essential Experience
- Previous workshop or manufacturing experience.
- Strong joinery or furniture manufacturing background.
- Experience manufacturing solid timber products.
- Experience using:
- Table saws
- Planer thicknessers
- Surface planers
- Chop saws
- Routers
- Power tools
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong organisational skills.
- Full UK Driving Licence.
Desirable Experience
- Previous workshop management or supervisory experience.
- Furniture manufacturing.
- Team leadership.
- Continuous improvement.
- SOP development.
- Production management.
- KPI management.
Hours
Standard workshop hours are:
Monday to Friday
7:30am – 4:00pm
As the business continues to grow, occasional shift patterns may be introduced during peak production periods. Any such arrangements would be planned in advance, operated on a rota basis and discussed with the team.
Salary & BenefitsSalary
- Base Salary: £35,000 per annum.
- Target Performance: Equivalent earnings of approximately £40,000.
- Stretch Performance: Equivalent earnings of approximately £42,500.
Performance-related earnings are linked to workshop productivity, operational performance and leadership objectives.
Benefits
- 20 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays.
- Christmas shutdown.
- Company pension (NEST).
- Company Sick Pay (following probation).
- Performance-related pay structure.
- Free on-site parking.
- Company uniform and PPE provided.
- Long-term career progression.
- The opportunity to help shape the future of a growing manufacturing business.
Why Join Acumen Collection?
We're building a modern furniture manufacturing business that combines traditional craftsmanship with technology, systems and continuous improvement.
We believe great workshops aren't built by shouting the loudest or watching the clock. They're built by leaders who earn respect, develop people, remove obstacles and create an environment where everyone takes pride in producing outstanding work.
If you're looking for a role where you can genuinely influence how a workshop operates—not just manage the status quo—this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for.
Apply Now
Please send your CV together with a short covering letter telling us why you'd be the right person to lead our workshop and help shape the next chapter of Acumen Collection.
Pay: £35,000.00-£42,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
