Production Manager in Exeter

Experienced Production Manager required for large manufacturing company based in Plymouth. The successful candidate will hold full operational accountability for all aspects of the performance, capability and continuous improvement of the manufacturing value stream. The role leads the safe and efficient delivery of machining and assembly operations, ensuring sustainable operational excellence through strong and consistent leadership, lean manufacturing deployment, and effective strategy execution. As a key member of the manufacturing leadership team, you will translate business strategy into operational execution, delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, cost performance, delivery reliability and employee engagement, while building long-term organisational capability. The role requires visible leadership presence, sound operational judgement, and the ability to balance short-term delivery performance with medium- and long-term operational transformation. This is an excellent opportunity to work for a world class manufacturer who puts quality and innovation at the fore front of their ethos. Key Responsibilities: Strategic & Operational Leadership Translate organisational strategy into operational plans, capacity requirements and measurable departmental objectives. Lead execution of manufacturing strategy in the manufacturing value stream. Align production planning, scheduling and shop-floor execution to achieve stable and predictable operational performance. Provide leadership input to business planning, demand forecasting and operational strategy deployment. Operational Performance & Business Delivery Accountable for department performance against KPIs including productivity, delivery adherence, cost efficiency, quality performance and employee engagement. Ensure production plans are achievable, resource-balanced and effectively executed. Anticipate operational constraints and implement proactive mitigation strategies. Drive performance transparency through structured performance management and visual management systems. Ensure consistent execution of production schedules across all shifts. Production Planning & Scheduling Manage the Production Planners, ensuring effective production scheduling aligned to customer demand, capacity and material availability. Establish robust planning processes that support delivery performance, inventory optimisation and operational stability. Ensure alignment between Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), capacity planning and shop-floor execution. Balance demand, workforce capability, machine capacity and material flow to optimise throughput and minimise disruption. Drive continuous improvement in planning accuracy, schedule adherence and production flow. Collaborate closely with Supply Chain and Planning functions to ensure material readiness and efficient workflow across the value stream. Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement: Lead deployment and sustainability of Lean Manufacturing principles as the operating framework for the department. Improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through systematic elimination of losses. Champion improvement activities including
SMED and flow optimisation, Standard work and operational discipline, Waste reduction and process stability & Data-led performance improvement Embed continuous improvement behaviours in production and planning activities. Collaborate with Engineering to optimise equipment reliability through preventative and autonomous maintenance practices. Commercial Performance & Budget Management: Maintain strong commercial awareness of product manufacture, ensure parts are produced efficiently and profitably in line with business expectations. Accountable for departmental cost performance, support achievement of operational budgets and financial targets. Monitor and control manufacturing costs including labour efficiency, material utilisation, overtime, scrap, rework and overhead absorption. Work collaboratively with Finance, Engineering and Commercial teams to understand product cost drivers and support cost reduction activity. Ensure production decisions consider commercial impact, balance delivery performance with cost effectiveness and long-term business sustainability. Identify opportunities to improve margin performance through productivity improvement, waste elimination and process optimisation. Support quotation, industrialisation and new product introduction by providing operational and capacity input to ensure commercially viable manufacturing solutions. Manage departmental expenditure responsibly, ensuring effective use of labour, equipment and consumables within agreed budgets. Contribute to annual budgeting, forecasting and resource planning activities. Promote a culture where operational teams understand the relationship between performance, cost and profitability, and act accordingly. Leadership, Capability & Organisational Development: Provide strong, visible and values-led leadership within the production environment. Lead, coach and develop Production Team Leaders and the Production Planner to build a high-performing operational leadership structure. Clearly define expectations, accountabilities and standard work for leadership teams. Conduct regular 1:1 meetings, performance reviews and development discussions. Support Team Leaders in Improving team engagement, Developing high-performing, agile, cross-skilled teams succession planning, talent development, training / skills development & Addressing performance issues promptly and constructively. Promote open two-way communication through daily roadblock meetings, toolbox talks and team briefings. Recognise achievement and reinforce positive performance behaviours.
Lead organisational change initiatives supporting operational transformation. Cross-Functional & Stakeholder Leadership Work collaboratively with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality and Commercial functions to optimise end-to-end value stream performance. Influence cross-functional decision making to remove constraints and improve operational flow. Contribute to Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), capacity planning and demand review processes. Represent manufacturing during audits, customer visits and leadership reviews. Health, Safety, Quality & Compliance Leadership Act as a senior leader in promoting a proactive safety culture. Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental and quality management systems. Maintain operational discipline and consistency across planning and production execution. Essential Experience / Qualifications and Attributes Required: Extensive operational leadership experience within Engineering, Manufacturing or Precision Engineering / CNC / Machine Shop environments. Demonstrated accountability for operational performance and delivery of measurable business results. Proven experience leading leaders and developing high-performing teams. Strong practical and theoretical understanding of Lean Manufacturing systems. Able to interpret complex operational data and translate insight into performance improvement actions. Strong influencing, communication and stakeholder leadership capability. High levels of resilience, emotional intelligence and leadership credibility. Desirable Experience, Qualifications and Knowledge: Educated to degree level within either Engineering, Business Studies or Management or similar related discipline. ILM or CMI Level 5 qualified or above. Lean manufacturing qualification
e.g. six sigma. Experience of working to ISO9001, ISO14001 and AS9100 standards. Advanced ERP and Data Analytics capabilities. Package on Offer: Private health cover for the successful candidate, partner and any children up to the age of 24. 25 days holiday rising to 30 days after 12 months Company Pension scheme:
Basic : employee = 3.6% and Employer 4.5% = 8.1% /
Advanced : employee = 6% and Employer 7.5% = 13.5% Life assurance cover
x2 salary on joining / x4 on joining the pension scheme ( Basic ) / x6 if maximum contribution ( advanced ) to the pension scheme. Free access to personal development training. The successful candidate will work core hours of: Monday to Thursday 08:15am to 16:45pm & Fridays 08:15am to 13:30pm. Due to the senior nature of this position there will be occasions where the successful candidate will be required to work outside of these core working hours. The successful candidate will also be required to travel on occasion, possibly oversees, to visit suppliers, customers, attend training courses and / or exhibitions. If you have the relevant experience as detailed, please submit an up to date CV by using the apply button. By applying for this position, you confirm that you consent to the processing of your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the purposes of recruitment, employment and working finding service
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