Location: Coventry, UK
Hours: 08:00-16:35 (Mon–Thu) 08:00-15:10 (Fri)
Vacancy Type: Full-time and Permanent
Salary: £55,000 to £65,000 - subject to experience
The role
As Production Manager, you will lead a growing and evolving manufacturing team responsible for delivering high-performance armour and protection products, including ballistic helmets, body armour plates, bomb disposal suits and oncology beds. This is a key leadership role in a business experiencing increasing demand and higher production volumes, where safety, quality, delivery and operational performance are critical.
Reporting to the Director of Manufacturing, you will lead all manufacturing operations, ensuring products are delivered safely, on time, to specification and within budget. You will lead Production Supervisors, Team Leaders and manufacturing teams, creating a culture of accountability, engagement, continuous improvement and high performance.
You will be responsible for delivering the Master Production Schedule while driving measurable improvements in productivity, Right First Time, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, labour efficiency and operational cost. Working closely with Planning, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance and Programme Management, you will ensure manufacturing capability, capacity and resources are aligned to customer demand, while supporting New Product Introduction, business growth and operational excellence.
This role is ideal for an experienced Production Manager who enjoys leading change, developing people and making a direct contribution to products that protect lives.
Do you want to know more about NPA?
What you'll get in return
At NP Aerospace, we know our success comes from our people. That’s why we invest in benefits that support your health, reward your hard work, and help you grow your career:
Performance rewards – discretionary bonus opportunities
Time to recharge: 247.5 hours per year, equivalent to 22 shifts per year
Support for Defence – two weeks’ paid leave for Reservists and Cadets, plus paid leave for Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) – subject to approval
Future security – competitive pension scheme (9% combined employer/employee contributions)
Peace of mind – life cover at 3x base salary
Health & wellbeing first – BHSF Cash Healthcare Plan to support everyday health costs
Grow with us – career development and advancement opportunities within a global business
Supportive environment – a team culture built on innovation, collaboration, and purpose
Responsibilities
Leadership and people
- Provide visible leadership across all manufacturing operations, promoting a culture of safety, accountability, engagement and operational excellence.
- Lead, coach and develop Production Supervisors, Team Leaders and manufacturing teams to maximise performance and capability.
- Set clear objectives, monitor performance and conduct regular performance reviews.
- Develop succession plans, training plans and skills matrices to support long term manufacturing capability.
- Promote ownership, problem solving and continuous improvement at every level.
Drive employee engagement while maintaining high standards of attendance, conduct and performance.
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Operational delivery
- Lead the execution of the Master Production Schedule, ensuring customer requirements are delivered safely, on time, in full and within budget.
- Own manufacturing performance across all production areas, with accountability for productivity, labour utilisation, operational efficiency and factory performance.
- Monitor and review operational KPIs through daily tier meetings and structured performance reviews.
- Identify operational constraints and implement robust recovery plans to minimise disruption.
- Ensure manufacturing resources, equipment and tooling are used effectively to maximise output and efficiency.
Drive reductions in manufacturing lead time, work in progress, overtime, scrap and rework.
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Planning, capacity and manufacturing readiness
- Develop manufacturing plans aligned to customer demand and business requirements.
- Own labour planning, headcount requirements and shift resource planning across all production areas.
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels, skills coverage and manufacturing flexibility to meet production demand.
- Work closely with Planning and Supply Chain to ensure material availability supports production requirements.
- Review manufacturing capacity and identify future resource, equipment or tooling requirements to support business growth.
- Ensure manufacturing readiness for production programmes through effective planning of labour, tooling, materials, documentation and equipment.
- Support Engineering during New Product Introduction activity, ensuring products transition successfully into production.
Identify manufacturing risks and implement mitigation plans to protect delivery performance.
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Continuous improvement and lean manufacturing
- Champion Lean Manufacturing principles across all manufacturing operations.
- Lead the implementation of standardised work, visual management, 5S, SMED, pull manufacturing and Kanban systems where appropriate.
- Drive continuous improvement through structured Kaizen activity, problem solving and data led performance improvement.
- Use root cause analysis methods, including 5 Why, 8D and PFMEA, to identify issues and implement sustainable corrective actions.
- Lead waste reduction initiatives to improve productivity, quality and manufacturing flow.
Develop a culture where continuous improvement forms part of everyday manufacturing activity.
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Health, safety and quality
- Lead by example in promoting a proactive Health and Safety culture throughout manufacturing.
- Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation, company procedures, risk assessments and regulatory requirements.
- Promote safe systems of work and ensure manufacturing teams receive appropriate training.
- Maintain high standards of housekeeping through 5S.
- Work in partnership with Quality to improve Right First-Time performance and reduce scrap, rework and manufacturing defects.
- Ensure manufacturing processes are followed consistently, and production documentation is completed accurately.
- Lead investigations into manufacturing issues and ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
Promote a culture of built in quality across all manufacturing operations.
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Cost, reporting and stakeholder management
- Manage labour budgets and manufacturing expenditure within agreed financial targets.
- Monitor overtime, labour efficiency and manufacturing costs, identifying opportunities to improve productivity and reduce cost.
- Support the Director of Manufacturing in the preparation of annual manufacturing budgets and resource planning.
- Own manufacturing KPI reporting and ensure timely communication of operational performance.
- Analyse manufacturing trends and develop action plans to improve performance.
- Lead daily production reviews and weekly operational meetings.
- Build strong working relationships with Planning, Supply Chain, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality and Programme Management.
- Represent Manufacturing during customer visits, manufacturing audits, operational readiness reviews and cross functional project reviews.
- Ensure manufacturing commitments are achieved while maintaining strong internal and external customer service.
Our team embraces modern technologies, including AI-assisted tools, to work smarter and deliver better results. Candidates should either have experience using AI tools or demonstrate a willingness to learn and apply them in their role.
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience managing manufacturing operations within a medium or high-volume production environment.
- Previous leadership experience managing Production Supervisors, Team Leaders and manufacturing teams.
- Proven experience applying Lean Manufacturing principles to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost and productivity.
- Strong understanding of production planning, labour planning and capacity management.
- Experience managing operational KPIs and delivering measurable performance improvements.
- Excellent leadership, coaching and communication skills, with the ability to engage teams and drive accountability.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving ability, with experience identifying issues and implementing practical corrective actions.
- Experience managing performance, developing employees and building capability within production teams.
- Good understanding of Health and Safety legislation, safe systems of work and manufacturing compliance requirements.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
- Experience using AI tools or demonstrates a willingness to learn and apply AI in the role
Desirable
- Experience within Defence, Aerospace, Automotive, composite manufacturing or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
- Knowledge of ISO 9001, AS9100 or equivalent quality standards.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or above.
- IOSH Managing Safely or NEBOSH qualification.
- Experience supporting or leading the introduction of new products into manufacture.
Ability Assessment
As part of the interview process, you may be asked to deliver a short presentation on a production or manufacturing challenge relevant to the role. This may include how you assess priorities, influence senior stakeholders, lead production teams and deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost or performance. Full details and preparation guidance will be shared in advance.
What do we do at NP Aerospace?
NP Aerospace is a global leader in armour technology manufacturing and vehicle integration, delivering high-performance, lifesaving solutions for the defence and security industry.
Our mission is to improve and protect lives, and our vision is to be a leading provider of innovative solutions that solve our customers' complex challenges. Our values - Respect, Collaboration, Integrity, and Dedication form the bedrock of our culture.
Our extensive range of combat-proven body armour, from ballistic helmets, plates, and shields to bomb disposal suits, highlights some of the most advanced composite materials. With a team of R&D engineers working on next-generation solutions, we also excel in highly engineered vehicle systems and armour platforms used by some of the world’s largest defence organisations.
Founded in 1926, NP Aerospace has served the defence industry for over 40 years, evolving into an agile and diverse company. Our Business Development team is expanding both in the UK and North America.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: NP Aerospace is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of race, colour, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We are also fully committed to supporting the Defence Community and actively advertise roles on Defence specific platforms such as CTP, Force Families, Forces Employment Charity, and Veterans Job Board.
Data Privacy: NP Aerospace respects the privacy of all applicants. Personal information provided during the application process will be treated in accordance with our privacy policy and applicable data protection laws.
Please note: If successful, you will be required to sign the Official Secrets Act and successfully pass the necessary checks before you can begin your employment with NP Aerospace.
