Donington, Lincolnshire PE11 4TA | £55,000–£65,000 depending on experience
Advanced manufacturing for exceptional buildings
George Barnsdale manufactures high-performance timber windows and doors for some of the UK’s most prestigious buildings. Our products combine bespoke design and traditional materials with sophisticated manufacturing technology, including automated generation of machine code, advanced CNC machining centres and a robotic coating process.
Following significant investment in our production equipment, product data and manufacturing processes, we now have a strong production platform. We are looking for an experienced Production Manager to lead the next stage of its development, creating a consistently controlled, efficient and high-performing operation.
You will lead a factory team of around 30 people through three Team Leaders. This is first and foremost a people and production leadership role: setting clear expectations, establishing disciplined production processes and maintaining performance when issues arise. You will ensure that people, information and processes work together to deliver safely, efficiently and to the required quality.
The role
Your central responsibility will be to lead the factory team and maintain strong, consistent production control.
The business has strong technical and process-improvement capability. Working with our Production Technical Director and wider management team, you will ensure improvements are introduced positively, adopted by the team and sustained through clear standards, effective management routines and reliable performance measures.
You will bring practical Lean thinking into the factory, helping us continually improve flow, productivity, quality and delivery. The Production Technical Director will lead the development of machinery, technical information and complex technical solutions. You will provide the operational leadership needed to turn that capability into sustained factory performance.
You will also lead and coordinate health and safety across the factory and office, supported by managers who remain responsible for safety within their own areas.
Key responsibilities
- Lead, motivate and develop the production team through Team Leaders.
- Deliver the production plan and maintain effective flow and handovers between departments.
- Ensure daily and weekly management routines are consistently followed and improved.
- Manage performance, attendance, conduct and skills development.
- Work with Technical and other departments to introduce and sustain production improvements.
- Use practical Lean principles, structured problem-solving and data to improve performance.
- Lead and coordinate health and safety across the factory and office, ensuring risks, incidents and improvement actions are managed effectively.
What we are looking for
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- Production management experience in a technically complex manufacturing environment.
- Strong frontline people leadership and performance management.
- The ability to establish disciplined processes and maintain control when issues arise.
- Evidence of introducing and sustaining measurable operational improvements.
- Practical Lean, problem-solving and manufacturing health and safety experience.
- Sufficient technical aptitude to work effectively with automated machinery and specialist teams.
Experience of high-mix, batch, engineered-to-order or bespoke manufacturing would be particularly valuable. Timber experience is not essential.
A NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent is desirable, but further health and safety development can be supported for the right candidate.
What we offer
- £55,000–£65,000 depending on experience.
- 23 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Christmas Closure
- Professional development support, including NEBOSH where required.
- A technically interesting, high-mix manufacturing operation with direct access to senior management.
- Employee Assistance Programme
This is a factory-based role working 40 hours per week. Working hours are generally aligned with production: normally 07:00–16:30 Monday to Thursday and 07:00–13:15 Friday. An early start is important for visible leadership of the factory, although some flexibility may be possible by agreement.
The role reports to the Operations Director.
Apply
Please submit your CV with a short covering note explaining the production environment you have led, the scale of your responsibility and one measurable operational improvement you personally delivered and sustained.
George Barnsdale is committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. Appointment will be subject to appropriate right-to-work and reference checks.
** NO AGENCIES**
Pay: £59,500.00-£71,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
