Wilson Associates Ltd are recruiting an experienced Production Manager for our engineering client based in Stanley.
Role summary
- The Production Manager will lead and manage all manufacturing and fabrication operations at our steelworks facility to deliver safe, on-time, high-quality production while optimising cost, throughput and resource utilisation. This role combines operational leadership, continuous improvement, H&S ownership and people management to meet customer commitments and business targets.
Key responsibilities
- Lead daily production operations across cutting, forming, welding, assembly, machining, finishing, and QA to meet production schedules, quality standards and delivery deadlines.
- Create, communicate and maintain production plans and schedules in coordination with sales, procurement and logistics.
- Manage, coach and develop production supervisors, shift leads and shopfloor teams; recruit and retain skilled staff.
- Maintain and improve productivity, yield and throughput through process optimisation, work balancing and effective use of resources.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Kaizen, SMED, 5S) to reduce waste, improve flow and lower unit costs.
- Oversee plant capacity planning, machinery utilisation and changeover planning to support demand and minimise downtime.
- Own health, safety and environmental compliance on the shop floor; run toolbox talks, risk assessments and incident investigations; ensure permits and safe systems of work are followed.
- Ensure product quality through standardised work, FAI/PPAP (if applicable), inspection checkpoints, and corrective action processes; collaborate with Quality team on NCRs and CAPAs.
- Manage maintenance interface: schedule planned maintenance, collaborate with maintenance team for reactive repairs, and participate in asset replacement/business case decisions.
- Maintain accurate production KPIs and reporting (OEE, on-time delivery, throughput, scrap rate, lead time, labour-hours per unit) and present regular performance updates to leadership.
- Control production costs: labour, scrap, rework, consumables and overtime while balancing quality and delivery.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards and customer specifications (structural steel standards, welding codes such as EN/BS, AWS or others as required).
- Lead new-product introductions and quoting support by providing manufacturing input (production method, lead times, capacity).
- Support procurement by providing material-use forecasts and stock rotation guidance; minimise WIP and finished-goods inventory through pull-based approaches.
- Foster a culture of continuous safety, quality and performance improvement.
Key performance indicators
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) target
- Scrap/rework rate
- Labour productivity (units per labour hour or cost per unit)
- Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)
- Throughput and lead-time reductions from baseline
- Cost variances to budget (labour, consumables, downtime)
Skills, experience and qualifications (essential)
- Proven experience (5+ years) in production or operations management within steel fabrication, structural steel, heavy fabrication, or a closely related manufacturing environment.
- Strong knowledge of fabrication processes: cutting (plasma/oxy/fibre), plate rolling, CNC machining, drilling, welding processes (MIG as applicable), assembly, and finishing.
- Demonstrable experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and data-driven problem solving (Root Cause Analysis, 8D, PDCA).
- People management: ability to lead multi-disciplinary, unionised or non-unionised shopfloor teams; experience with shift management and production supervision.
- Familiarity with health & safety regulations and best practice in metalworking environments; able to lead incident investigations and risk assessments.
- Proficient with production planning systems/ERP/MRP and MS Office (Excel); experience with shopfloor data collection and KPI dashboards.
- Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder-management skills; comfortable presenting performance to senior leaders and customers.
- Technical literacy to read and interpret engineering drawings, welding symbols and tolerances.
Skills, experience and qualifications (desirable)
- Welding inspection or quality certification (e.g., CSWIP/PCN) or relevant QA experience (ISO 9001).
- Experience with structural codes and standards relevant to your market (EN/BS, AWS, ISO).
- Experience implementing and using manufacturing execution systems (MES) or advanced scheduling tools.
- Health & Safety qualification (NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent).
- Experience managing capital projects (plant upgrades, automation) and business case development.
- Business improvement certification (Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or equivalent).
Personal attributes
- Decisive, pragmatic leader with strong problem-solving bias.
- Comfortable working under pressure and managing competing priorities.
- Collaborative and respectful; able to build trust with shopfloor teams and senior stakeholders.
- Continuous learner mindset with hands-on approach when needed.
Health, safety and environment
- Must be committed to, and accountable for, safety leadership and compliance.
- Ensure all team members use PPE, follow SOPs and complete required training.
- Participate in safety committees and lead continuous H&S improvement.
Training & development
- Develop and maintain training plans for production staff including welding qualifications, machine operation, and safety competence.
- Provide coaching and career-pathing for supervisors and operators.
People management
- Direct reports: Production Supervisors / Shift Leads / Team Leaders
- Indirect reports: Operators, Welders, Fitters, Machinists, Labourers
- Responsible for recruitment, performance management, absence and disciplinary processes in line with company policy.
Pay: From £50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
