Factory Manager

Location: Stoke on Trent

Salary: Competitive

Benefits: TBC

Lead people. Drive performance. Shape the future of manufacturing.

WE ARE 200 years of manufacturing heritage. WE ARE over 1,800 colleagues. WE ARE building the future.

At Ibstock, we're more than a manufacturer of building products. We're a business built on innovation, expertise and the passion of our people. Our products help shape the homes, communities and infrastructure of Britain, and we're committed to making them more efficiently, responsibly and sustainably.

With a proud heritage and an ambitious future, we're continuing to invest in our people, our manufacturing operations and the technologies that will help us build a better tomorrow.

The opportunity

Are you a manufacturing leader who thrives on developing people, improving performance and making things happen? This is an opportunity to take ownership of a key manufacturing operation, leading production teams to deliver outstanding results in safety, quality, efficiency and performance. You'll be at the heart of our factory operations, creating an environment where people feel supported, challenged and empowered to succeed. We're looking for someone who doesn't just manage production, but who leads from the front, challenges the status quo and brings fresh thinking to the way we work. If you're passionate about manufacturing excellence, enjoy solving problems and know how to get the best out of people, we'd love to hear from you.

What you'll be doing

• Leading and developing great teams
• Lead, motivate and develop our production teams across two shifts, creating a positive, accountable and high-performing culture.
• Coach and support supervisors, building their confidence, capability and leadership skills.
• Set clear expectations, recognise great performance and support colleagues to achieve their potential.
• Champion open communication, teamwork and employee engagement across the factory.

Driving operational excellence

• Take ownership of day-to-day production performance, ensuring we deliver against safety, quality, output and efficiency targets.
• Plan and coordinate production activities to meet customer demand and wider business objectives.
• Work closely with engineering, logistics and other teams to keep operations running smoothly.
• Use performance data and practical problem-solving to identify opportunities, remove barriers and deliver improvements.

Putting safety and quality first

• Create a culture where health, safety and wellbeing are everyone's responsibility.
• Lead by example, proactively identifying risks and driving improvements in safe working practices.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, environmental compliance and operational discipline.
• Ensure our products and processes consistently meet the quality standards our customers expect.

Making continuous improvement part of everyday life

• Challenge existing ways of working and identify opportunities to improve productivity, reliability and efficiency.
• Champion lean manufacturing principles and waste reduction initiatives.
• Engage production teams in identifying problems, developing solutions and making improvements that last.
• Work collaboratively with engineering colleagues to improve equipment performance and minimise downtime.

What you’ll bring

We're looking for a confident, hands‑on manufacturing leader who combines strong operational knowledge with a genuine passion for people. You'll ideally have:

• Proven experience leading production teams in a manufacturing environment, ideally within continuous process manufacturing or heavy industry.
• A strong track record of delivering improvements in safety, quality, productivity and operational performance.
• The ability to inspire, coach and develop people, building engaged and high‑performing teams.
• A practical, solutions‑focused approach to problem‑solving and continuous improvement.
• Experience of lean manufacturing techniques and driving operational efficiencies.
• Strong communication, planning and organisational skills, with the confidence to work across different teams and levels.
• A good understanding of production planning, performance measures and manufacturing systems.
• The ability to balance day‑to‑day operational demands with longer‑term improvement opportunities.
• A management qualification would be an advantage, but we're equally interested in your experience, leadership approach and the difference you can make.

What’s in it for you?

At Ibstock, we believe in recognising and rewarding the people who drive our success. That's why we offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you both inside and outside of work. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Competitive salary - Rewarding your experience, expertise and contribution.
• Bonus scheme - Recognising the impact you make on business performance.
• Company Car or Car Allowance - Providing additional flexibility as part of your reward package.
• Generous holiday entitlement - Giving you time to relax, recharge and enjoy life outside of work.
• Up to 10% matched pension contributions - Helping you plan for your future, with our pension scheme administered by Legal & General.
• Life assurance - Providing financial protection for your loved ones, with cover worth three times your annual salary.
• DigiCare+ by Aviva - Access to digital health and wellbeing services to help you look after yourself.
• Employee Assistance Programme - Confidential support for you and your family when you need it.
• Share Save scheme - The opportunity to participate in our employee share savings scheme, subject to eligibility.
• Everyday savings - Access to our high street discounts platform, including savings at retailers such as Tesco, Asda and many more.
• Career development and progression - Opportunities to develop your skills, grow your career and realise your potential within Ibstock.

But it's about more than just the benefits. You'll be joining a business with a proud heritage, ambitious plans for the future and the opportunity to make a genuine difference.

Ready to make your mark? If you're an experienced manufacturing leader who wants to take on a new challenge, develop great teams and deliver real operational improvements, we want to hear from you. Join Ibstock. Lead with purpose. Make an impact.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

At Ibstock, we believe our differences make us stronger. We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to be themselves. If this opportunity excites you but you don't meet every requirement, we'd still encourage you to apply. We're interested in your experience, your potential and what you can bring to our team. We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.