Job Overview
We are seeking 2 proactive Shift team leads to oversee manufacturing operations within our cloth production. The ideal candidates will be responsible for supervising production teams, ensuring quality standards are met, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
Purpose
To lead, coach and coordinate a weaving shift to achieve safe, efficient and high‑quality cloth production.
The role is responsible for managing a mixed‑experience team, identifying and addressing causes of downtime, challenging inefficiencies, and supporting the Production Manager to continuously improve performance, quality and delivery.
Key Responsibilities
. Shift & People Leadership
Leadership & Team Management
- Lead a single weaving shift with accountability for safety, performance, quality and conduct
- Manage a team with a mix of highly experienced weavers and trainees, adjusting style and support accordingly
- Provide day‑to‑day direction, coaching and feedback to ensure standards are met
- Build credibility with the team through visible leadership, fair decision‑making and consistency
- Identify training needs, support skills development and help embed standard ways of working
- Address performance or behaviour concerns promptly and professionally, with support from the Production Manager
- Ensure clear communication and a thorough shift handover to maintain continuity
B. Production & Continuous Improvement
Production Management & Improvement
- Take ownership of production performance on shift, including output, downtime and quality
- Actively challenge causes of loom stoppages and inefficiencies — asking why before intervening
- Work with the Production Manager, Planner and Data Analyst to understand performance data and trends
- Prioritise work in line with loom plans, customer dates and operational constraints
- Identify improvement opportunities in job changes, downtime, machine utilisation and process flow
- Support actions to reduce non‑value‑added activity and improve right‑first‑time performance
C. Technical & Weaving Knowledge
Technical & Quality Oversight
- Maintain a strong working understanding of weaving processes, cloth construction and loom operation
- Ensure job changes, tie‑ons and first pieces are completed correctly and passed to standard
- Support quality standards by reducing second‑quality fabric and addressing recurring issues
- Work with specialists where hands‑on technical intervention is required
- Hands‑on involvement may be required at times but is not the primary focus of the role.
Essential attributes
- Hungry – we want you to commit to working hard, have a burning desire to achieve your goals and are willing to put in the effort and dedication to make them a reality.
- Humble – we want you to recognise your strengths while staying open to learning, growing and acknowledging the contribution of others.
- Smart – we want you to be honest and inclusive and respectful of others, value diversity and foster a sense of belonging for everyone.
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills
- Calm, fair and confident leadership style
- Able to gain respect from experienced operators while supporting learners
- Strong communicator who tailors approach to different individuals
- Resilient under pressure and comfortable making decisions
- Willing to challenge issues early rather than firefight later
Knowledge, skills & competencies
Essential
· Experience working in a woven cloth production environment
· Proven experience leading or supervising people in a production or manufacturing setting
· Understanding of loom efficiency, downtime and quality drivers
· Confidence to question established practices and challenge constructively
· Ability to balance technical understanding with strong people leadership
·
Desirable
· Experience supporting trainees or apprentices
· Experience using production or performance data to drive improvement
Diversity, Inclusion & Workplace Adjustments
We are committed to building a workplace that values diversity, promotes inclusion, and fosters a sense of belonging for everyone. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and experiences.
If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process or throughout employment to perform at your best, we encourage you to let us know — we will be happy to discuss these with you.
Pay: £42,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
