Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead production operations and ensure efficient, safe manufacturing processes.
- Company: Join SEA, a leader in advanced defence solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and excellent career development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by protecting what matters in our world.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership experience in production, ideally in defence.
- Other info: Be part of a small team making a big difference.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 70000 £ per year.
Engineered to Protect, that's our promise, we protect what matters - our nations, our waters, our land, our cities, our people, our environment, our world. As Production Manager, you'll be accountable for the daily leadership of SEA's production, ensuring that manufacturing activities are safe, efficient, controlled and capable of delivering on quality, time, and cost. This position acts as the key operational lead on the shop floor and is pivotal to maintaining predictable delivery performance in a low volume, high variety defence manufacturing environment. The Production Manager will be based at our Barnstaple site with an on-site presence required through the week. The salary for this role is up to £70k, depending on experience.
What you'll be doing:
- Leadership of Production Operations - you'll lead production activities, maintaining a strong presence to support issue resolution and provide direction.
- Manufacturing Execution and Flow Management - you'll execute the production schedule, monitoring and ensuring compliance to build standards documentation and config control.
- Quality, Compliance & Continuous Improvement - you'll support root-cause investigation and corrective actions, promote right-first-time behaviours, and champion 5S, ensuring compliance with ISO9001 and AS9100-aligned production standards.
- People Leadership - you'll coach and guide the Cell Leaders and production staff, conducting regular 121s and development discussions, motivating the capability toward SEA's vision and objectives.
About our company:
At SEA, we develop and deliver advanced solutions to make our world safer, cleaner and more efficient. We provide state-of-the-art applications for naval ship and fleet protection, and undersea surveillance systems. In-service across the globe, our systems deliver a rapid response to threats and system effectiveness and interoperation. Our systems support an ever-growing number of navies across the world, and we continue to bolster our already specialist, on-the-ground knowledge of key overseas markets.
What we offer:
- Work life balance
- Hybrid/flexible working arrangements
- 25 days annual leave, plus buy and sell
- Up to 16 days flexi leave accrual
- Half day Fridays
- Reservists in the Armed Forces receive special paid leave
- Family & wellbeing
- Private medical health insurance & Employee Assistance Program
- All Staff Bonus
- Group Pension Plan of up to 7% employer contribution
- Cycle to work scheme
- Wellbeing Centre
- Sports & Social activities
- Employee Discounts portal - online and in-store discounts, travel savings
- Life assurance policy
- Publication and recruitment bonus rewards
- Development opportunities, including LinkedIn learning
- Facilities & resources
- Electric vehicle charging points at all sites
- Private seated lunch areas
- Onsite bistro (Barnstaple office) and free hot and cold beverages
- Onsite showers and toiletries provision
- Free onsite parking
The skills you need:
- Strong experience in leading a production capability, ideally in a relevant/related industry to defence.
- A vision to implement and embed lean thinking/principles into production activities.
- Ability to lead, inspire and support a large team toward right-first-time approach with a continuous improvement mindset.
Join us and be part of something smaller - with 500 people in the UK and Canada - doing something bigger: protecting what matters.
If you'd like to know more, please give Dave from our Talent Acquisition Team a call on 03330 041 4172.
Production Manager in Barnstaple employer: Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited
Contact Detail:
Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Production Manager in Barnstaple
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with current employees at SEA. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by understanding SEA’s mission and values. Show us how your experience aligns with our commitment to safety and efficiency in production. We love candidates who are genuinely passionate about what we do!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! Be ready to share examples of how you’ve led teams, tackled challenges, and implemented improvements. We want to see your ability to inspire and drive results in a production environment.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining the SEA family and contributing to our mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Production Manager in Barnstaple
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Production Manager role. Highlight your experience in leading production operations and any relevant achievements that align with our mission to protect what matters.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We want to see how you’ve successfully led teams in the past. Share specific examples of how you've motivated staff, resolved issues on the shop floor, and implemented continuous improvement practices.
Emphasise Compliance and Quality: Since quality and compliance are key in our industry, be sure to mention your experience with ISO9001 and AS9100 standards. Talk about how you've championed right-first-time behaviours in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at SEA!
How to prepare for a job interview at Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited
✨Know Your Production Principles
Make sure you brush up on lean manufacturing principles and how they apply to production management. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've implemented these principles in your previous roles, especially in a defence or similar environment.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to talk about your leadership approach and how you motivate teams. Think of instances where you've successfully led a team through challenges, resolved conflicts, or improved performance. This will demonstrate your capability to inspire and guide others.
✨Understand Quality Standards
Familiarise yourself with ISO9001 and AS9100 standards, as well as any relevant compliance requirements. Be prepared to discuss how you've ensured quality and compliance in past projects, and how you would champion these standards at SEA.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in the company and the role. Inquire about their current production challenges, how they implement continuous improvement, or what their vision for the future looks like. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if the company is the right fit for you.