Head of Manufacturing Excellence

Allura Partners; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive access to Board

Immediate impact

Strong backing for change

Existing Lean groundwork

Job summary

Allura Partners is seeking a Head of Manufacturing Excellence in Brisbane to lead Lean transformation across a national footprint. You will sit on the Executive Leadership Team and report to a Board Sub-Committee, driving improvements on the shop floor and embedding accountability.

This is a high-visibility, executive role with direct access to the Board, requiring hands-on leadership on capacity, capital investment and long-term operational priorities.

Qualifications

• Substantial senior leadership experience in steel fabrication or heavy manufacturing.
• Track record of improving multi-site operations.
• Hands-on Lean implementation across sites.
• Data-driven root-cause problem solving.
• Board-level credibility with floor presence.
• Engineering degree (Mechanical preferred).
• Ability to relocate Brisbane Australia wide.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction for Lean transformation and roadmaps across the group.
• Standardise Lean systems across every site (5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Pull Systems, Flow).
• Drive root-cause problem solving to eliminate waste and bottlenecks with accountable actions.
• Put in place practical measures, targets and visual management to drive accountability.
• Lead culture change and develop leaders to build lasting Lean capability.

Skills

Senior leadership

Lean transformation

Cross-site coordination

Data-driven decision making

Culture change

Executive stakeholder management

Engineering knowledge

Board level communication

Coaching / leadership development

Manufacturing experience

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical preferred)

Job description

Our client is one of Australia’s oldest and most respected road transport companies. Privately owned and headquartered in Brisbane with operations across several states, the business has a clear Board mandate to lift manufacturing performance and modernise how work gets done.

About The Role

This newly created Head of Manufacturing Excellence is a genuine executive seat with the mandate to make your mark. Sitting on the Executive Leadership Team and reporting to a Board Sub-Committee, you’ll lead Manufacturing and Engineering excellence, pinpoint the biggest opportunities, design the plan and drive it through, embedding Lean practice and real accountability nationally.

This is not a back-office improvement role. You’ll be visible on the floor across every site, working alongside supervisors, engineers and operators to understand the realities of production and build improvements that last. At the same time, you’ll be a trusted voice at Board and ELT level, shaping decisions on capacity, capital investment and long-term operational priorities.

• A genuine executive seat with direct access to the Board
• Real backing and a clear mandate to make meaningful change
• Fast decision-making, so your impact is visible
• Solid improvement groundwork already in place to build on
• A business that values quality and genuinely wants to get better

Duties / Key Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for Lean transformation and continuous improvement across the group, and own the roadmap that delivers it
• Standardise Lean systems across every site, including Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kaizen, Pull Systems and Flow
• Drive root-cause problem solving to eliminate waste, rework, bottlenecks and poor flow, with corrective action that holds
• Put in place practical measures, targets and visual management that make performance visible and drive accountability
• Lead culture change toward a collaborative, improvement-focused way of working, and coach emerging leaders to build lasting Lean capability

Skills and Experience

• Substantial senior leadership experience in steel fabrication, heavy engineering or a similarly complex manufacturing environment
• A track record of improving multi-site operations
• Hands-on experience implementing and standardising Lean across multiple sites, not just overseeing it
• A practical, data-driven approach to root-cause problem solving and performance measurement
• Proven ability to lead culture change with a visible, floor-based leadership style
• A genuine track record of developing leaders and building capability in others
• Confidence operating at Board level while staying credible on the shop floor
• A degree in Engineering (Mechanical ideal) will be highly regarded

Brisbane based role - Open to relocation candidates (Australia wide)