Production Team Leader in Desford

Location: Desford, Leicestershire

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £33,892 rising progressively to £37,568 once role competencies are met

Benefits: 27 days annual leave + bank holidays – option to buy or sell, Production Bonus, Flexible Buy In Benefits such as Private Medical, Health Care, Dental & Vision scheme and more, Share Scheme (50% Company Matched), Contributory Pension Scheme (Contribution double by Company up to 10%)

When you join Caterpillar, you’re joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities.

New Product Launch Alert: Caterpillar Desford are excited to have launched a new product in 2025. After nearly two decades, the Telehandler has returned to Leicestershire.

A telehandler is a versatile machine used primarily in construction, agriculture, and other industries for material handling. It features a telescoping boom that can extend forward and upward, allowing it to lift and place loads at various heights and distances.

• Key Features of Telehandlers:
• Extended reach: The telescoping boom provides significant reach, making it ideal for placing materials in hard-to-access areas.
• Lift capacity: Telehandlers can handle heavy loads, often ranging from a few thousand pounds to over ten thousand pounds.
• Attachment versatility: They can be equipped with various attachments, such as forks, buckets, and lifting hooks, to perform different tasks.
• Maneuverability: Telehandlers often have multiple steering modes, enhancing their ability to navigate tight spaces.

Opportunities: Join our Desford team where you will have the opportunity to work with smart tooling, digital standard work and advanced automation to drive innovation in a state‑of‑the‑art environment.

What You Will Do:

• Lead the team to meet daily production goals on safety, quality, velocity and cost targets.
• Actively coach, guide and mentor team performance and development.
• Carry out daily communications and deploy training programs to upskill teams using lean methodologies.
• Lead an inclusive, engaging safety culture.
• Proactively resolve issues and generate new ideas for your assigned area using the Continuous Improvement (CI) process to improve quality, effectiveness and safety.
• Audit and drive defect investigations to ensure high quality product outputs.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to drive improvements within the assembly processes.
• Proactively plan and cover team members' absences daily.

What You Can Demonstrate:

• Possess a good understanding of assembly operations practices and processes.
• Experience of the manufacturing quality process, reporting defects and root cause analysis.
• As a team member the ability to work closely with others is imperative, requiring team participation to achieve the agreed goals.
• Self‑motivated, with the flexibility to deal with independent and team behaviours; able to motivate and influence others with advice and experience.
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal to eradicate behaviours not in line with the company values.
• Highly organised and keen attention to detail.
• Must be flexible and support extra hours if required and willing to work on a multi‑shift pattern.

What You May Have:

• Previous people development and performance management experience.
• 6 Sigma / Project management.

Flexibility: Flexible working arrangements will be considered for this role, in‑line with the needs of the business.

What You Will Get: The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build on the skills they have by working with a variety of different functional areas, allowing them to develop their understanding of the wider business requirements. Becoming a member of a skilled, diverse and inclusive team that will provide a good foundation for future career development within Caterpillar.

Posting Dates: November 17, 2025 – December 1, 2025

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.