Production Operations Manager in Merthyr Tydfil

Marshall Land Systems design, manufacture and engineer deployable infrastructure used around the world to support and protect people working in critical and dangerous environments. With a diverse portfolio of programmes delivered from site, we require an agile, responsive, and high-performing production function to meet evolving customer demands. We are now seeking a Production Operations Manager to play a key role in delivering operational excellence across the site.

This role will be responsible for leading day-to-day production operations, ensuring performance against key metrics, and supporting the implementation of strategic initiatives. This role will be instrumental in shaping and establishing production operations at our new facility, contributing to both immediate delivery and long-term growth.

Your responsibilities in this role include:

• Lead and manage day-to-day production operations to ensure output targets, quality standards and delivery schedules are met
• Plan, organise and optimise production workflows, resources, and capacity across shifts and lines
• Ensure production targets are achieved in line with customer demand, quality standards and cost objectives
• Develop and implement operational strategies aligned with business goals
• Ensure effective coordination between production, quality, supply chain and logistics teams
• Promote a strong safety culture, leading by example and driving continuous improvement in safe working practices
• Lead, motivate and develop production leads and operational teams
• Manage staffing levels, shift patterns and workforce planning to meet operational demands
• Support recruitment, onboarding and training for production staff
• Ensure products are manufactured to agreed quality, regulatory and customer standards
• Support internal and external audits and inspections
• Drive corrective and preventive actions to address quality issues
• Ensure robust processes, documentation and controls are maintained
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the plant (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, OEE improvements)
• Identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks and waste, and implement sustainable solutions
• Promote standardisation and best practice across all functions
• Manage the plant budget and control operational costs
• Monitor and improve productivity, margins and cost performance

Apply if you have most of the following:

• Proven experience in a senior production or operations management role within a production environment
• Strong leadership and people-management capability
• In-depth knowledge of health, safety, quality and regulatory requirements
• Demonstrated experience in driving continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Strong commercial awareness and budget management experience
• Excellent communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Experience of delivering products within a project or multi-programme environment
• Experience delivering both standard and bespoke products to customers
• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, programme, and support teams
• Ideally experience working within a unionised environment
• Demonstrable experience of driving continuous improvement initiatives

Technical Skills/Education:

• Strong knowledge of operations within a production environment
• Experience with lean manufacturing tools and techniques, with a focus on waste reduction and efficiency
• Understanding of flow line and/or cell-based manufacturing methods
• Ability to analyse performance data and drive informed decision-making
• Working knowledge of EHS and compliance requirements within manufacturing
• Commercial awareness with an understanding of cost control and productivity improvement

Additional local needs:

• Onsite role
• Successful candidates will need to be eligible for SC (Security Clearance)

The benefits in this role include:

• Opportunity to play a key role in establishing and shaping production operations at a new, purpose-built production facility
• Exposure to strategic decision-making through close working with the Operations Director and wider leadership team
• Opportunity to lead and develop high-performing teams, building leadership capability and succession strength
• Hands-on experience in driving continuous improvement and implementing best-in-class production practices
• Opportunity to contribute to large-scale change programmes, including site relocation and operational transformation
• Development of cross-functional expertise through collaboration with Engineering, Programme Management, and other key business areas

Marshall Land Systems is a Canadian-owned global company with an unrivalled pedigree of British engineering excellence. From its origins in Cambridge, UK, through more than a century of innovation, pioneering advances from the nose of Concorde to the early Hydrogen fuel cell technology that ultimately powered the moon landings, Marshall engineers now continue to innovate specialist vehicles and infrastructure for NATO forces across the world. From bomb disposal vehicles to deployed shelters, from command and control to CT scanners on the battlefield, Marshall Land Systems protects people in critical situations with the very best in engineering. It employs 600 people with major facilities in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands.