About Modular Systems Ltd
Modular Systems Ltd manufactures bespoke bathroom and shower pods for the construction and accommodation sectors. Our products include one-piece GRP pods, shower pods, steel-framed bathroom pods and other bespoke modular solutions.
We are developing our manufacturing capability to support a target output of approximately 150 pods per week. We are therefore seeking an experienced Manufacturing Operations Manager to lead day-to-day factory operations across our two principal manufacturing areas.
The role
The Manufacturing Operations Manager will be responsible for converting the company production plan into safe, controlled and achievable daily and weekly output.
You will coordinate Factory 1, which manufactures GRP pod shells, and Factory 2, which completes pod fit-out, testing and preparation for dispatch. Working closely with the Production Director and the Factory Managers, you will ensure that labour, materials, tooling, equipment and production priorities are aligned across the complete manufacturing process.
This is a senior operational leadership role requiring a visible factory presence, strong production control and the ability to balance safety, quality, delivery, cost and people.
Key responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations across Factory 1 and Factory 2.
- Translate the master production schedule into clear daily and weekly factory plans.
- Ensure Factory 1 releases accepted GRP shells at the rate required by Factory 2.
- Coordinate labour, skills, shifts, overtime and operational priorities.
- Lead and support the Factory 1 and Factory 2 Managers.
- Establish clear accountability for supervisors, Team Leaders and production teams.
- Monitor output, schedule attainment, work in progress and recovery actions.
- Identify production bottlenecks and implement practical short- and long-term solutions.
- Work with Planning and Materials to ensure drawings, materials, kits and production information are available before work is released.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Tooling and Maintenance to maximise mould and equipment availability.
- Work closely with the independent Quality function to prevent defects, reduce rework and ensure inspection and testing requirements are completed.
- Maintain effective shift handovers and daily SQDCP production meetings.
- Ensure defects, equipment failures, shortages and delivery risks are escalated promptly.
- Support new product introduction, design changes and production-readiness reviews.
- Improve factory layout, standard work, labour efficiency, material flow and housekeeping.
- Develop supervisors and Team Leaders through coaching, clear expectations and performance management.
- Ensure production targets never override safety, quality or approved procedures.
- Provide accurate operational reporting to the Production Director.
Health and safety responsibilities
- Demonstrate visible and consistent health and safety leadership.
- Ensure compliance with relevant risk assessments, COSHH assessments, safe systems of work and manufacturer instructions.
- Support the correct use of PPE, RPE, extraction systems and machine guarding.
- Maintain safe lifting, demoulding, workplace transport and pedestrian-control arrangements.
- Ensure only appropriately trained and authorised employees undertake specialist work.
- Challenge unsafe behaviour and support near-miss and incident investigations.
- Confirm that every operating shift has appropriate supervision and emergency arrangements.
About you
You will be an experienced manufacturing leader who is comfortable managing a busy, multi-stage production environment. You should be able to move confidently between strategic production planning and practical shop-floor problem solving.
Essential experience and capabilities
- Significant experience managing manufacturing or factory operations.
- Experience leading managers, supervisors, Team Leaders and production employees.
- Strong production planning, scheduling and labour-allocation capability.
- Evidence of delivering challenging output and customer delivery targets.
- Experience identifying and managing production constraints and bottlenecks.
- Good understanding of quality controls, non-conformances, rework and root-cause improvement.
- Strong health and safety leadership within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience using production data to manage performance and make decisions.
- Ability to manage competing priorities without compromising safety or quality.
- Strong communication, leadership and problem-solving skills.
- Experience developing first-line managers and improving accountability.
- A practical and visible leadership style.
Desirable experience
- Experience in modular, offsite, construction-product or assembly manufacturing.
- Experience of GRP, composites, moulding or chemical manufacturing processes.
- Experience managing plumbing, electrical, joinery or multi-trade fit-out operations.
- Knowledge of Lean manufacturing, standard work, visual management and continuous improvement.
- Experience with capacity planning, standard labour hours and line balancing.
- Involvement in factory expansion, new production lines or significant output growth.
- Relevant manufacturing, engineering, operations-management or health and safety qualification.
Direct experience of every Modular Systems manufacturing process is not essential. However, candidates must demonstrate the ability to learn technical processes, respect specialist competence and lead operations through controlled procedures.
What success will look like
- A clear and achievable production plan is understood throughout both factories.
- Factory 1 and Factory 2 operate as connected and balanced value streams.
- Weekly output increases in a safe and controlled manner towards the required capacity.
- Production problems are identified early and acted upon through clear ownership.
- Work in progress, shortages, downtime, defects and rework are visibly controlled.
- Supervisors and Team Leaders consistently manage safety, quality, delivery and people.
- Completed pods meet specification, testing and dispatch requirements.
- The Production Director receives accurate information and evidence-based recommendations.
Pay: £35,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
