Manufacturing Shift Manager

About Welland Medical Ltd: Welland Medical brings to market the best and most innovative products that enhance the lives of people living with a stoma across the world. Investing in the most talented people, collaborating to create world-class, ground-breaking products and services devoted to improving peoples’ lives. We are passionate about making a difference in the world. Welland Medical is a part of Clinimed Holdings Limited, a prominent figure in the Healthcare and Medical Equipment sector.

Job Summary: To support the Production and Engineering Managers in driving improved performance and growth through excellent operational and technical engineering knowledge. This role involves managing a team of Team Leaders and Lead Machine Setters to ensure the Engineering Team fully supports the delivery of company targets and KPIs. You will lead with a strong presence on the shop floor, acting as an ambassador and role model for Welland’s core values and behaviours while fostering a culture of pride and ownership within the workplace. Additionally, you’ll ensure adherence to good manufacturing and engineering practices, cleanliness standards, and promote best practices in line with Health & Safety and Quality regulations.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Act as the senior person on site during night shift operations, managing people and resource deployment to meet daily production targets.
• Work collaboratively with other Production departments to ensure smooth running of the shift, maintaining a safe and clean working environment.
• Ensure compliance of all employees and agency staff with Health & Safety regulations and company policies at all times.
• Maintain responsibility for product quality, driving a “right first time” approach and ensuring standards are met.
• Oversee NCRs, CAPAs, and Validation Work assigned to teams, ensuring timely completion.
• Focus teams on achieving departmental KPIs such as target speeds, reject rates, and other performance metrics.
• Support Engineering, Production Managers, and the Lead Manufacturing Shift Manager by assisting engineers in completing machine improvement days to boost equipment reliability and uptime.
• Investigate production issues, identify root causes, propose corrective actions, and ensure their successful implementation.
• Review Manufacturing Performance Data and prioritise actions to meet KPIs.
• Manage labour and workflow to ensure schedule compliance and support hourly and daily production targets.
• Manage recruitment within agreed headcount budgets and liaise with QA, Engineering, R&D, and HR to uphold best practices.
• Provide and analyse data as requested, proactively identifying trends and troubleshooting issues.
• Serve as a Lean and Continuous Improvement (CI) champion, driving a culture of lean thinking to reduce waste, scrap, and downtime while improving OEE and labour efficiency.
• Deliver competent and reliable information to colleagues, ensuring best practices and compliance with ISO 13485.
• Communicate effectively at all levels, both verbally and in written documentation (e.g., shift handovers, investigations).
• Control shift expenditure, including managing PPE resources.
• Ensure all documentation and reports are accurate, concise, and meet company standards.

People Management Responsibilities:

• Lead by example in the proactive management of Team Leaders, ensuring they meet resource plans and performance expectations.
• Support Team Leaders in training and assessing staff according to company standards, addressing skills and knowledge gaps with corrective actions.
• Provide accurate and concise communication supported by data and reports.
• Drive team motivation and employee engagement, fostering a culture of communication and teamwork where expectations and goals are clear.
• Encourage contributions, support initiatives, and promote professional development.
• Support Supervisors in managing the production team in line with company procedures, policies, and HR guidance (e.g., absence and performance management).
• Promote ongoing team development through regular one-to-one sessions and the PDR process, collaborating with HR to address training needs.
• Inspire and motivate team members to meet company and team objectives while managing holidays to avoid negative effects on production.

Personal Specifications:

Essential:

• You must hold a GCSE pass in English and Maths to demonstrate effective communication and basic numeracy skills, along with a Lean or Six Sigma Yellow Belt to show a foundation in process improvement.
• Prior experience in a similar management role, leading and motivating teams within a shift-based system, is required, as well as strong people and performance management skills, including carrying out appraisals.
• Experience with continuous improvement practices—such as CI, Lean, and Six Sigma—is crucial to drive operational efficiency and manage major process changes effectively.
• You should be able to prioritise and manage multiple tasks concurrently, meet deadlines, and maintain high-quality standards in a fast-paced environment, while inspiring and motivating team members.
• A systematic and analytical approach to problem-solving, combined with proactive management of people issues, is essential for fostering a positive and productive workplace.
• A solid understanding of commercial factors and experience working within a management system successfully audited to ISO 13485:2016 standards are required.
• You must be able to work independently within your responsibilities and demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact confidently with all levels of the organisation.
• Proficiency in MRP/ERP systems, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, as well as a good understanding of health and safety requirements, is essential for managing documentation and maintaining a safe workplace.
• Experience in team development and training, with strong IT skills and knowledge of Lean tools and techniques, is required to support continuous improvement and eliminate waste.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, a calm and adaptable approach under pressure, and the ability to motivate and support colleagues are key to fostering collaboration and a positive work environment.
• You should have a strategic and creative mindset, a clear commitment to organisational development, and a proven ability to build effective relationships with stakeholders and partners.
• A disciplined and proactive approach to work, coupled with confidence, credibility, and the ability to work shifts, is essential for this role.
• A results-driven attitude, strong work ethic, collaborative approach, and good listening skills, along with resilience and approachability, are critical to success in this position.

Desirable:

• A BTEC HNC/HND or degree in Manufacturing would be an advantage, as would a Six Sigma Green Belt or IOSH Managing Safely qualification.
• Experience in a diverse manufacturing environment and managing NCRs, CAPA investigations, and root cause analysis would be highly beneficial.
• Familiarity with value stream mapping, Poke Yoke, and 8D problem-solving techniques, along with strong presentation skills and knowledge of ISO 13485, would support your success in the role.
• A positive and proactive approach to work, adaptability, empathy, and a collaborative mindset are valued traits for contributing to a supportive and effective team culture.