Manufacturing Manager

Overview

Surface Transforms are world leading in the design, development and manufacture of carbon-ceramic brakes for high performance and luxury automotive sector.

About Surface Transforms

Here at Surface Transforms, our vision is mobility through braking innovation and our mission is to ‘Innovate and develop a sustainable, world leading, high performance braking system that redefine the limits of mobility. Investing in our people to drive excellence & create lasting value.’

Our values

• Leadership – United, decisive and recognising success
• Collaboration – Support others, listen with intent and challenge each other
• Communication – Ask why, be inclusive and adapt your methods
• Ambition – Be bold, believe and be irrepressible
• Excellence – Strive for brilliant, achieve high standards and continually improve
• Trust – Be real, trust yourself and support others

Role

We are looking for a highly driven Manufacturing Manager, to lead production operations and ensure On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) delivery to our customers. You will be accountable for safe, efficient, and continuously improving production performance while driving operational excellence across multiple shifts. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring excellent communication, strong cross-functional collaboration, and a relentless focus on process discipline, KPIs, and results.

Key Responsibilities as Our Manufacturing Manager

• Lead and manage daily production activities to achieve ≥98% OTIF as a non-negotiable standard.
• Own the 12-week production plan, ensuring capacity, labour, materials, tooling, and maintenance readiness.
• Drive adherence to schedules, freeze horizons, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Lead Tier 1 and Tier 2 daily operational meetings, escalating risks early to protect delivery commitments.
• Work cross-functionally with Procurement, Quality, Engineering, and Planning to remove constraints before they impact schedules.
• Deliver strong operational KPIs, including OEE, first-pass yield, scrap/rework reduction, and safety compliance.
• Lead structured problem-solving initiatives (8D/A3) and drive continuous improvement projects such as SMED, 5S, and visual management.
• Manage, coach, and develop 3 Shift Supervisors, enforcing uncompromising process discipline and performance standards.
• Ensure full compliance with HSE, regulatory requirements, and Quality Management Systems.

What You’ll Be Doing As Our Manufacturing Manager

• Delivering the production plan on time, in full, and to the right quality standards.
• Proactively identifying risks to OTIF and driving countermeasures immediately.
• Monitoring operational KPIs and implementing improvements where required.
• Leading shift readiness reviews to ensure materials, tooling, and approvals are in place before production starts.
• Collaborating with Planning, Procurement, and Logistics to secure supply and manage shortages before they impact schedules.
• Driving improvements in changeover time, scrap levels, and efficiency through lean manufacturing methods.
• Developing and maintaining a high-performance culture, coaching Shift Supervisors to achieve operational excellence.
• Escalating systemic issues quickly to senior leadership for resolution.

The skills, knowledge, and experience you’ll need as our Manufacturing Manager

• Proven experience as a Manufacturing Manager or similar leadership role in a high-volume or high-mix production environment.
• 7+ years’ experience in manufacturing with demonstrable success delivering OTIF, OEE, and FPY improvements.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement tools (5S, SMED, A3, problem-solving, visual management).
• Experience managing multi-shift operations and leading teams across different rotations.
• Hands-on understanding of scheduling, capacity planning, and ERP/MRP systems.
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001 / IATF 16949) and HSE standards.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.

You’ll have these personal attributes

• Relentless focus on achieving OTIF and operational performance targets.
• Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Decisive and proactive, escalating issues quickly when required.
• Natural leader who sets high standards and holds teams accountable.
• Collaborative and cross-functional approach, ensuring alignment across departments.
• Committed to continuous improvement and coaching others to succeed.

What We’ll Give You In Return

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Extra day annual leave for your birthday
• An autonomous working environment with clear accountability
• Opportunities for internal progression and career development
• Death-in-service benefit scheme
• Access to a confidential employee assistance programme

Shifts: Monday – Friday: 6am – 2pm, 2pm – 10pm

Salary: £60,000 inclusive of shift allowance