Production Manager in Newport

Location: Newport

Salary: £40,000 per annum

Position overview: To coordinate, organize & control the labour/manufacture/assembly of all materials & finished goods ensuring timely supply of best value products to our global retail & professional customer base. The Production Manager should promote the use of best-practice lean manufacturing tools and techniques, ensuring they are applied in a way that benefits local site performance in the areas of Safety, Quality, Cost and Delivery.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities:

• Achieve agreed weekly plan in line with set costs.
• Ensure at all times labour is balanced via the use of agency operators in times of sickness, holidays & periods of high demand.
• Drive departmental objectives & KPIs.
• Promote and ensure a safe and healthy working environment for employees.
• Actively support the H&S committee & meetings associated with the site H&S policies & procedures.
• Ensure all relevant production processes are under continuous scrutiny for efficiency and continuous improvement.
• Support the Plant Manager during system/customer audits as required.
• Ability to manage a multi-functional team via modern people management skills.
• Support monthly Management Safety Audits, Risk Assessments & all H&S improvement activities.
• Positively support & drive continuous improvement culture through the production areas.
• Actively support the new product introduction process from a production perspective.
• Attend meetings as required & carry out test & trials/pre-production run when required.
• Provide production labour cost as required.
• Review & recommend Capital investment projects to improve production performance.
• Support any new capital project as required during implementation.
• Ensure all required production/quality paperwork is completed in line with the required process/system, that it is accurate & legible.
• Work within the ERP system (Dynamics) to manage stock control in all production areas and allocate appropriately to production orders.
• Ensure effective communication with local site colleagues, particularly in relation to development opportunities or sales requirements.
• Ensure the requirements of ISO9001 are always maintained.
• Actively participate & lead all continuous improvement activities/initiatives 5S etc. & Kaizen events.
• Proactively identify & make recommendations for improvements.
• Follow through to ensure complete implementation of improvements raised.
• Demonstrate good housekeeping & actively drive high standard of GMP throughout the site.
• Ensure PPE is maintained & used as prescribed on all production processes.
• Be flexible in approach to work to support the production needs, be able to work shifts & cover overtime when required.
• Any other duties as required by the Plant Manager.

Qualifications - Minimum:

• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office software & MRP systems.
• Good standard of Education - minimum 'A' level standard or equivalent & some formal production management qualification (ILM or NEBS Supervisory Management qualification).
• Good people management skills gained in a production/manufacturing environment.
• Good standard of written English & Maths.
• Good communication skills (spoken & written) & attitude.
• Good understanding/experience of continuous improvement tools & techniques.
• Production Management/Supervisory experience in a similar industry sector (Packaging/FMCG).

Qualifications - Desirable:

• Several years' Production Management/Supervisor experience in a 'lean culture' working environment.
• Qualification to ILM/NVQ level 3/6 in a production management qualification.
• A professional qualification in production management.
• Extensive experience in lean manufacturing/continuous improvement techniques & tools (5S, Kaizen etc.) in packaging/FMCG sector.

Minimum Skill Requirements:

• Minimum of 3 years experience in Production Management.
• Managed a team of 25+ production operatives.
• Team builder and player.
• Able to work under pressure.
• Competent, good attitude & self-motivated.
• High attention to detail.
• Able to work with a team.
• Good planning & IT skills.
• Able to motivate others.
• Good problem-solving abilities.

Other Skills/Abilities - Desirable:

• Awareness & experience of modern improvement tools & techniques.
• Data handling/PC skills.
• Able to work under pressure to achieve tight delivery schedules.
• Internal auditing experience in a selection of modern 'lean cultured' manufacturing environments.
• Can identify opportunities to implement new ideas and generate creative solutions to manufacturing/production processes.

Please apply with your CV in the first instance. Wright Staff are acting as an employment business in relation to this vacancy.