IMPORTANT: this role is full-time office based. We are not open to agencies, sorry
PURPOSE
Augustus Martin is an award-winning creative manufacturing business, delivering innovative Point of Sale (POS), Out-of-Home (OOH), digital, print and retail marketing solutions for many of the UK's leading retailers and global brands. We combine creativity, manufacturing excellence and end-to-end campaign management to help our clients create engaging customer experiences and maximise the impact of every campaign.
As the Production Manager, you will provide overall leadership of the manufacturing operation, ensuring the factory operates as one integrated production environment. You will be responsible for coordinating production activities across all manufacturing departments, driving operational performance, maintaining high standards of quality and safety, and ensuring customer orders are delivered On Time In Full (OTIF).
Leading a team of departmental managers, you will create a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement, ensuring operational decisions support the wider strategic objectives of the business. Working closely with the Operations Director and other operational managers, you will develop robust production processes, maximise manufacturing efficiency and ensure the factory consistently delivers operational excellence.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
§ Operational Leadership
o Lead the day-to-day operation of the manufacturing facility, ensuring production activities are coordinated effectively across all departments.
o Provide direct line management, coaching and development for the Print Manager, Cutting Manager, Assembly Manager, Planning Manager and Warehouse & Fulfilment Manager.
o Establish clear operational standards and expectations, promoting consistency, accountability and high performance throughout the factory.
o Chair daily production meetings, ensuring priorities, resources and operational issues are communicated effectively across departments.
o Foster a collaborative working culture, encouraging departments to work together to achieve shared business objectives.
§ Production Performance
o Ensure customer orders are manufactured safely, efficiently and delivered On Time In Full (OTIF).
o Monitor and analyse operational KPIs including productivity, capacity utilisation, labour efficiency, waste, Right First Time, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), quality performance and schedule adherence.
o Balance production capacity across departments, identifying constraints and implementing solutions to improve workflow and throughput.
o Support the effective planning and scheduling of work, ensuring manufacturing resources are utilised efficiently.
o Monitor production performance, responding proactively to operational challenges and changing customer priorities.
§ Continuous Improvement
o Lead Continuous Improvement initiatives across the manufacturing operation, embedding Lean Manufacturing principles and promoting operational excellence.
o Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, simplify processes and enhance manufacturing performance.
o Encourage data-driven decision-making through effective performance reporting and operational analysis.
o Promote a culture of problem-solving, accountability and innovation throughout the factory.
§ Cross-Functional Collaboration
o Work closely with the Planning Manager to ensure production schedules align with customer requirements and manufacturing capacity.
o Collaborate with the Engineering & Facilities Manager to maximise equipment reliability and minimise production downtime.
o Partner with the HSQE Manager to ensure safe working practices, compliance and continual improvement are embedded throughout the manufacturing operation.
o Work alongside the Quality Manager to maintain product quality standards, investigate production issues and implement corrective actions.
o Collaborate with the Logistics Manager to ensure finished products are dispatched efficiently and customer delivery commitments are achieved.
o Build strong working relationships with Client Services, Procurement and other business functions to ensure effective communication and seamless project delivery.
§ People Leadership
o Lead, motivate and develop departmental managers, creating high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring and regular performance management.
o Identify succession planning and development opportunities across the manufacturing operation.
o Promote employee engagement, accountability and effective communication at all levels.
o Support recruitment, workforce planning and organisational development initiatives where required.
§ Governance & Operational Excellence
o Ensure manufacturing activities comply with company policies, Health & Safety legislation and environmental requirements.
o Support compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management systems.
o Manage departmental budgets and operational expenditure, ensuring resources are utilised effectively.
o Produce regular operational reports and performance updates for the Operations Director, identifying trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
o Support strategic projects, new product introductions and business improvement initiatives.
This list is not exclusive and can be subjected to change from time to time, depending on company’s needs.
KPIs & MEASURABLES
- Deliver a minimum 10% improvement in productivity through improved workflow, labour utilisation, machine performance, planning discipline and continuous improvement activity.
- Deliver a minimum of one cost-out project per year, ensuring measurable financial benefit is identified, tracked and reported, while also holding all direct reports accountable for delivering cost-out initiatives within their own areas of responsibility.
- Achieve a minimum 10% reduction in agency labour spend by improving workforce planning, skills flexibility, attendance management and effective deployment of permanent employees.
- Achieve a minimum 10% reduction in overtime costs through improved production planning, shift discipline, capacity management and proactive control of operational bottlenecks.
- Own and lead the daily and weekly production meeting process, ensuring actions, priorities, constraints, risks and customer-critical work are clearly communicated, followed up and closed out.
- Coach, mentor and develop Front Line Managers to improve leadership capability, decision-making, communication, problem-solving and accountability across the manufacturing operation.
- Hold the production team to account for performance against agreed daily, weekly and monthly targets, ensuring clear ownership of actions and corrective measures.
- Produce monthly performance reports covering machine performance KPIs, including OEE, machine utilisation, downtime, throughput, schedule adherence, waste, rework, quality performance and Right First Time.
- Improve OTIF delivery performance by ensuring production plans are realistic, resource requirements are understood, constraints are escalated and customer-critical deadlines are actively managed.
- Reduce avoidable downtime and improve machine availability by working closely with Engineering, Planning and departmental managers to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
- Drive measurable improvements in labour efficiency, capacity utilisation, schedule adherence, waste reduction, quality performance, health and safety compliance and employee engagement.
- Maintain a clear action tracker for operational issues, improvement projects and meeting outputs, ensuring progress is reviewed regularly and escalated where required.
- Use production data and trend analysis to identify underperformance, prioritise improvement activity and provide clear recommendations to the Operations Director.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- Significant experience leading manufacturing operations within a production environment.
- Proven experience managing multiple operational departments and leading departmental managers.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing planning, production control, capacity management and operational performance.
- Demonstrable experience improving productivity, efficiency and manufacturing performance.
- Excellent leadership, coaching and people management skills.
- Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance customer expectations and operational performance.
- Excellent organisational, analytical and decision-making abilities.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Good IT skills, including experience using ERP, MIS and production management systems.
- Comprehensive understanding of Health & Safety legislation within a manufacturing environment.
DESIRED REQUIREMENTS
- Degree, HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management or a related discipline.
- Experience within the print, graphics, packaging, retail display or manufacturing sectors.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (or above), Kaizen or equivalent Continuous Improvement qualification.
- IOSH Managing Safely or NEBOSH General Certificate.
- Experience leading organisational change and operational transformation projects.
- Experience managing manufacturing budgets, KPIs and capital investment projects.
- Experience supporting ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management systems.
- Chartered Management Institute (CMI), ILM or equivalent leadership qualification would be advantageous.
Pay: £55,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Canteen
- Casual dress
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Ability to commute/relocate:
- London E3 3PB: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Manufacturing: 5 years (required)
- Print Field: 3 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
