VP Manufacturing

We have an exciting opportunity for a VP Manufacturing to join our team in Barnoldswick. As VP Manufacturing you will lead, inspire and coach a broader team of functional leaders and be accountable for ensuring that customer commitments are met in full, measured against agreed HSE, quality, cost, delivery, people and responsiveness standards.

As a Senior Leader you will be accountable for managing a multi-functional team across both sites, which includes operations, planning, quality, manufacturing engineering and business improvement. You will have full accountability for ensuring that you and the team deliver quality products to customers on time and right first time. The VP Manufacturing will report to the EVP for the business unit in the UK.

What you will be doing:

• Accountable for defining & implementing the Zero Harm plan for the plant.
• Ensuring full compliance to health, safety and environmental standards.
• Accountable for ensuring that all work is carried out in compliance with the required standard to ensure conformance to the engineering specification, and for promoting a product safety culture in the organisation.
• Design, influence and deploy the strategic plan for Zero Defects for the plant.
• Ensure cross-functional teams integrate to reduce Cost of Non Quality.
• Understand the technical and legislative elements associated with your area of responsibility and ensures compliance.
• Create and agree the budget; Implement robust monitoring and controlling of the areas financials to ensure the budget is delivered.
• Lead the planning and balancing of load and capacity to meet customer demands and achieve business strategy.
• Ensure that plant leadership cross functional team members receive training, coaching and development in order to carry out their roles effectively.
• Ensure that robust people plans (succession, recruitment pipeline) are in place for key roles in the business.
• Ensure that relevant Production System minimum standards are fully deployed and sustained within the business in support of performance objectives.
• Coach the cross functional team to continuously improve.
• Ensure the seeking and sharing of best practice internally and externally.
• Inspire the manufacturing team to consistently deliver high levels of performance through facilitation, collaboration, coaching and the demonstration of lean leadership behaviours.
• Motivate, delegate and empower team members to act and make their own decisions.
• Ensure that robust business continuity plans are in place for all high risk/SPOF manufacturing resources.
• Optimise the performance of manufacturing assets in order to maximise facility productivity and meet current and future customer demand.
• Where applicable, accountability for site wide activities (e.g. Group property, purchasing, community related activities, etc.).
• Understand and lead the deployment and use of digital systems and processes to improve product cost, quality and performance.
• Be competent in the use of the tools to manage area and people performance and leads compliance to digital standards and processes.
• Ensure MBU & supply chain strategy aligns to RR digital manufacturing standards and strategy.
• Communicate to the leadership team using digital tools, and able to communicate digital strategy and use of innovative technology.
• Facilitate the development and operation of the manufacturing engineering processes (Capability Acquisition, Product Introduction & Continuous Improvement) to deliver conforming product.

Who we’re looking for:

• Proven track record of Manufacturing Leadership experience within a large or global high technology engineering organisation.
• Experience of working with trade unions.
• Credible expert with growth mindset, strong financial/commercial acumen and customer focus.
• Strong leadership qualities to provide strategic direction, inspire teams, and drive results.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to convey complex ideas, negotiate effectively, and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Inclusive and purposeful in their approach.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills and ability to influence at all levels including the Board.
• Ability to navigate complex business environments.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a continuous improvement attitude.
• Experience in industries such as energy, defence, aerospace is preferable although not mandatory.