Head of Production (Multi-Site) – Automotive (Newcastle Upon Tyne)

The Company

PE backed vehicle repair business who have built a reputation over the last 25 years as a leader in its field. Working in partnership with insurance companies to deliver high quality vehicle repair services to their customers they have sites across the UK and are in a stage of significant growth.

Role

This is a fantastic time to join our client as you will be in an excellent position to help shape the future of their production operations. You will work closely with the senior leadership team to maintain industry leading standards, drive best practice and champion continuous improvement. You will be an experienced operational leader with a passion for driving output and operational excellence across multiple sites within the automotive industry. You’ll play a pivotal role in overseeing multiple sites, ensuring they operate safely, efficiently, profitably AND BE ABLE TO demonstrate experience in improving, setting up or getting new sites into BAU mode.

• Promote and maintain a culture of safety, ensuring that a safe working environment is upheld at all times across all sites.
• Drive efficiency and profitability by effectively managing key cost areas including labour, paint, and parts across designated locations.
• Oversee daily and weekly performance forecasting, comparing projections against actual results, and support teams in developing accurate and reliable forecasts.
• Collaborate closely with key support functions to optimise site output and align operational performance with broader company objectives.
• Maintain strategic oversight of site performance, ensuring efficient production flow and accurate planning to meet business targets.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a team of Production Managers, providing hands-on support in the day-to-day management of operations and fostering a high-performance culture through coaching and mentorship.
• Take ownership of recruitment across operational roles, ensuring timely hiring, a positive candidate experience, and direct involvement in the selection of Production and Assistant Production Managers.
• Partner with the HR Business Partner to support the ongoing development and career progression of Production leadership, ensuring structured training and growth plans are in place.
• Proactively identify and implement opportunities for continuous improvement in processes, methodologies, and the adoption of new technologies to enhance operational excellence.

Qualifications and Skills:

• You will be experienced in managing multi-site operations (ideally within the automotive industry) and leading operational teams.
• Technical skills with experience of body and paint repair in the retail motor industry advantageous.
• Process driven, good at managing multiple priorities and delivering through others.
• Good influencing skills and confident working with and presenting to stakeholders across all levels.
• UK Driving Licence.
• Exceptional communication and relationship building skills.
• Ability to demonstrate good business acumen and financial control.
• Experience of improving process and methods, driving efficiency and maximising productivity.
• Highly organised with the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills with the ability to drive results through this.
• Good MS office skills with the ability to present information in various ways.
• Strong problem solving skills, with an analytical approach.
• Passion for delivering quality and achieving customer satisfaction.

If you’ve got this far then there’s a good chance you have the desired skills for this opportunity and are interested! Therefore hit the apply button!