About Net Zero Careers
Net Zero Careers supports roles that ensure high-quality retrofit delivery and compliance across residential projects. Customer-facing roles like this are vital to ensure residents are informed, safe, and satisfied while supporting the UK's net-zero goals. Working alongside employers across the renewable energy, retrofit, environmental and sustainability sectors, we help candidates build rewarding long-term careers while making a positive impact on the environment.
About the Company
We are a fast-growing manufacturer of stainless-steel hot water cylinders and engineered hot water storage solutions, supplying leading heat pump OEMs and customers across the heating sector. Our product range includes unvented cylinders, calorifiers, buffer vessels, volumisers, thermal stores and high-volume pre-plumbed assemblies. Many products are custom-designed for OEM partners under long-term supply agreements. As an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer, we are trusted for quality, reliability, technical support and responsive customer service.
About the Role
Due to continued growth and significant new OEM production programmes, we are seeking an experienced Site Production Manager to take full operational responsibility for a key manufacturing site. This is a senior leadership role with accountability for safety, people, production, quality, materials, engineering support, maintenance, delivery performance and site standards. You will lead a period of significant output growth, ensuring production volumes increase without compromising safety, quality, testing or traceability. Working closely with Planning, Purchasing, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Stores, Logistics, HR and senior management, you will develop a disciplined, high-performing manufacturing operation capable of consistently delivering demanding customer requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Site Leadership & Operations
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Provide full operational leadership across production, assembly, testing and stores.
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Lead supervisors, team leaders, operatives and support teams.
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Establish clear standards, accountability and performance expectations.
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Chair daily production meetings focused on safety, quality, output, materials and delivery performance.
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Foster a culture of safety, quality, teamwork, accountability and continuous improvement.
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Escalate major operational risks and drive timely resolution of issues.
Production Planning & Delivery
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Convert customer demand and forecasts into achievable production plans.
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Align labour, equipment, materials and capacity with production requirements.
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Monitor output against plan and take corrective action where required.
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Balance workload across fabrication, assembly, plumbing, wiring, testing and packing operations.
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Manage production ramp-ups while maintaining delivery performance.
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Coordinate with Logistics to ensure products are delivered on time and in full.
Workforce Planning & Development
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Plan staffing levels, recruitment and training to support growth.
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Develop supervisors and team leaders to drive performance and accountability.
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Maintain skills matrices and cross-training plans.
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Manage performance, attendance and employee development.
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Improve communication and engagement across the site.
Manufacturing Process Control
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Ensure products are manufactured to approved specifications, drawings and work instructions.
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Maintain control of engineering changes, product variants and customer-specific requirements.
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Prevent unauthorised deviations from entering production.
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Improve production methods, tooling, workflows and workstation layouts.
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Support the successful introduction of new products into volume manufacture.
Quality, Testing & Traceability
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Take operational ownership of manufacturing quality.
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Ensure inspection, testing and traceability requirements are consistently achieved.
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Monitor defects, rework, scrap and customer complaints.
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Lead root-cause investigations and implementation of corrective actions.
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Maintain compliance with ISO 9001 procedures and customer requirements.
Health, Safety & Environmental Management
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Lead all health and safety activities across the site.
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Ensure risk assessments, training and safe systems of work are maintained.
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Investigate accidents, near misses and unsafe conditions.
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Promote strong housekeeping, workplace organisation and legal compliance.
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Ensure production targets never compromise safety requirements.
Materials, Stores & Logistics
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Ensure materials and components are available to support production plans.
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Improve stock control, material flow and inventory accuracy.
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Manage storage requirements for raw materials, work in progress and finished goods.
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Coordinate effectively with Purchasing, Stores and Logistics teams.
Maintenance & Equipment Management
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Ensure equipment, tooling and facilities are maintained safely and effectively.
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Support preventative maintenance programmes and reduce downtime.
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Identify future equipment, tooling and automation requirements.
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Lead capital investment and production improvement initiatives.
Continuous Improvement & Cost Control
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Drive Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement activities.
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Improve productivity, efficiency, material flow and capacity utilisation.
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Reduce waste, rework, scrap and unnecessary cost.
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Monitor labour, overtime and operational budgets.
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Deliver sustainable improvements without compromising safety or quality.
Key Performance Measures
Accountability for:
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Health and safety performance.
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Production output and delivery performance.
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Labour efficiency and productivity.
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Quality, defects, rework and scrap.
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Testing performance and product compliance.
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Equipment uptime and operational efficiency.
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Material availability and stock accuracy.
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Lead times and work-in-progress levels.
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Customer complaints and warranty issues.
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Employee engagement, retention and training.
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Completion of corrective and improvement actions.
Essential Skills & Experience
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Proven experience as a Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager or Site Manager in a manufacturing environment.
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Experience leading a complete manufacturing operation or major multi-department facility.
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Background in fabrication, welding, mechanical or electromechanical manufacturing, or other engineered-product environments.
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Demonstrated success increasing production capacity and output.
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Strong production planning, resource management and operational leadership skills.
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Knowledge of quality systems, inspection, testing and product traceability.
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Experience managing health and safety in manufacturing.
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Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
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Excellent people-management, coaching and leadership skills.
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Strong problem-solving, communication and decision-making abilities.
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Proficient in Microsoft Office and production-reporting systems.
Desirable
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Experience with pressure vessels, tanks, welded fabrications, HVAC, plumbing, heating or heat pump products.
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Experience managing configured assemblies containing mechanical, electrical and hydraulic components.
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Experience supplying major OEM customers.
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Knowledge of pressure, leak, electrical and functional testing.
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Experience managing new product introductions and production ramp-ups.
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Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management systems.
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Multi-site manufacturing experience.
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HNC, HND or degree in Engineering, Manufacturing or related discipline.
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Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, IOSH, NEBOSH or similar qualifications.
What We Offer
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Competitive salary.
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Senior leadership responsibility within a growing manufacturing environment.
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Opportunity to shape site operations, systems, culture and future growth.
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Involvement in major OEM programmes and production expansion projects.
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Ongoing training, professional development and career progression.
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Employee Assistance Programme.
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Strong support from Engineering, Quality, Commercial and Senior Leadership teams.
Apply Today
This role is suited to an experienced Production, Manufacturing, Operations or Site Manager who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and is comfortable taking full responsibility for safety, people, quality, output and delivery. We are looking for a hands-on leader who can build a high-performing team, challenge poor standards and develop a disciplined operation capable of delivering sustained growth and operational excellence.
