Production Manager in Suffolk

This Production Manager role exists because the business is growing, not because it is broken. Our client is a well-established manufacturing business based in Newmarket that has seen sustained growth in both demand and headcount. As the operation scales, they are now making a planned succession hire to strengthen leadership, embed structure and support the next phase of development across the production function.

This is a hands-on leadership role within a multi-line manufacturing environment, offering genuine ownership, influence and visibility.

The role

• Lead the Newmarket production team in full, taking ownership of delivery, quality, responsiveness and cost.
• Oversee multiple production lines with varying batch sizes and levels of complexity.
• Manage and develop Production Supervisors who have been promoted internally, supporting them as they grow into confident people managers.
• Be highly visible on the shop floor, setting standards and leading from the front.
• Balance day-to-day operational delivery with longer-term planning, capacity thinking and continuous improvement.
• Act as a key link between production, planning, buying and senior leadership.

Key responsibilities

• Owning and driving key production KPIs, including on-time delivery, arrears, quality and productivity.
• Ensuring production plans are executed effectively, adjusting resources and priorities as required.
• Embedding standard work, visual management and disciplined performance tracking.
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and waste reduction, and seeing them through to implementation.
• Building a culture of accountability, clarity and consistency across the production team.
• Developing supervisory capability, particularly around people management, performance conversations and communication.
• Supporting compliance with quality, health, safety and environmental standards.

What this role is not

• Not a firefighting assignment.
• Not a purely desk-based management role.
• Not a site with rigid systems and no room for influence.

The foundations are in place. This role exists to professionalise, strengthen and scale what is already working.

The person they are looking for

• Has led production or operations teams within a manufacturing environment.
• Is a strong people manager and coach, particularly of first-time or developing supervisors.
• Understands Lean and continuous improvement in a practical, real-world sense.
• Is comfortable owning performance and influencing upwards with data-driven business cases.
• Enjoys being present on site and actively involved in the operation.

Location and working pattern

• Based on site in Newmarket, Suffolk.
• Core hours are site-based, with flexibility built around a collaborative and pragmatic culture.
• This is a leadership role where presence matters.

The package

• Salary up to £55,000 depending on experience.
• Annual bonus of up to 5 percent, performance-based.
• 25 days annual leave, increasing with service, plus bank holidays.
• Private medical insurance, including family cover.
• Pension with a 6 percent employer contribution.
• Salary sacrifice options, gym membership and cycle-to-work scheme.

Crem Recruitment is recruiting on behalf of its client and managing this process confidentially. This opportunity offers the chance to step into a visible, influential leadership role within a growing manufacturing business and make a lasting impact on how production is led. Applications are welcomed from Production Managers ready to take ownership and lead with confidence.