Manufacturing Manager

Austin Engineering Ltd; Perth; On-site; AUD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance incentives

Long-term incentive (LTI)

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Austin Engineering Ltd in Perth is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Manager to lead the Perth facility in Kewdale, driving safety, productivity and continuous improvement across heavy fabrication operations. You will manage a large skilled workforce and partner with engineering, planning and procurement to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

The role requires a trade qualification in Boilermaking or Welding, strong leadership in heavy industry, and

Qualifications

• Trade qualification in Boilermaking, Fabrication or Welding and/or an Engineering qualification.
• Proven leadership experience in heavy fabrication or mining environments.
• Experience managing large workshop teams, budgets and safety programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operations to meet production targets, cost, quality and delivery.
• Manage workshop budgets, operating expenditure and capital investment.
• Drive Lean manufacturing, 5S, workflow optimisation and waste reduction.
• Lead safety, quality and compliance with AS/NZS standards and customer specs.
• Collaborate with engineering, planning, procurement and customers to support production.

Skills

Leadership

Heavy fabrication

Budget management

Continuous improvement

Welding & fabrication knowledge

Communication

Education

Trade qualification in Boilermaking, Fabrication or Welding

Engineering qualification

Formal leadership qualification (desirable)

Tools

ERP systems

MS Office

Job description

Austin Engineering is a leading global designer and manufacturer of mining attachments and engineered solutions for the mining and resources sector, including mining buckets, truck trays, GET systems, structural components and repair services. Our Perth facility in Kewdale is Western Australia's largest bucket manufacturing and repair workshop, supporting major mining fleets with heavy fabrication, engineering expertise and customer-focused solutions.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused Manufacturing Manager to lead this critical operation and drive safety, operational excellence, productivity and continuous improvement across the facility.

About the Role

Reporting to the Deputy General Manager Australia, you will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations of our Perth manufacturing facility located in Kewdale. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a strong workshop presence, technical expertise and a passion for building high-performing teams.

You will work closely with workshop supervisors, engineering, planning, procurement and customers to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards. This is a rare opportunity to lead one of Australia's premier heavy fabrication facilities, with responsibility for a large skilled workforce, significant customer projects and the delivery of strategic operational improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Oversee operations

• Lead manufacturing and repair operations to achieve production, cost, quality and delivery targets.
• Monitor workshop performance, labour utilisation, productivity and costs, driving efficiency and profitability improvements.
• Manage workshop budgets, operating expenditure and capital investment.
• Drive Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, including 5S, workflow optimisation, waste reduction and standardisation.
• Promote innovation, modern manufacturing practices and data-driven decision making.
• Lead a culture of safety, quality and accountability, ensuring compliance with HSE requirements, company policies, Australian Standards and customer specifications.

Deliver quality products

• Maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, OEMs and internal stakeholders to ensure successful project execution and a high level of customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate internally with senior leaders and functional experts in engineering, planning, procurement and quality to ensure drawings, manufacturing packages, materials and resources are available to support production requirements.
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to supervisors and trades personnel, assisting in the resolution of fabrication, welding and production-related challenges.
• Ensure all welding, fabrication, inspection and quality assurance activities are completed in accordance with relevant Australian Standards, customer requirements and internal quality systems.

Lead and manage a large team

• Provide strong and visible leadership across all workshop operations, maintaining an active presence on the floor to support supervisors, troubleshoot issues and ensure work is completed safely and efficiently.
• Develop and coach Workshop Supervisors and team leaders to build capability, improve performance and strengthen leadership across the facility.
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment and resourcing activities to ensure the workshop has the capability and capacity to meet current and future business demands.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Trade qualification in Boilermaking, Fabrication or Welding, Engineering qualification, or equivalent significant industry experience.
• Formal leadership or management qualification (desirable).
• Extensive experience within heavy fabrication, manufacturing, mining services or engineering environments.
• Proven leadership experience managing large workshop or production teams in a heavy industry environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading a culturally diverse workforce, with the ability to adapt communication styles, build strong working relationships and foster an inclusive, high-performing team environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of welding, fabrication and heavy mobile equipment manufacturing and repair.
• Proven ability to interpret engineering drawings, general arrangements (GAs) and manufacturing documentation.
• Experience managing operational budgets, financial performance and manufacturing cost centres.
• Sound working knowledge of AS/NZS 1554, AS/NZS 3834, ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or 5S experience (desirable).
• Experience driving continuous improvement and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and manufacturing planning, ERP or scheduling systems.
• A passion for safety, continuous improvement and operational excellence.

What's in it for You?

• Lead Western Australia's largest bucket manufacturing and repair facility.
• Play a key role in shaping operational performance, culture and future growth.
• Join a respected Australian engineering company supporting the global mining industry.
• Competitive remuneration package, including performance incentives and long-term incentive (LTI) opportunities.
• Strong safety culture and supportive executive leadership team.
• Career development opportunities within a growing global organisation.
• Opportunity to make a genuine impact on a high-performing operation and influence strategic business outcomes.
• Autonomy to drive innovation, continuous improvement and operational excellence across a market-leading facility.