Assistant Production Manager

Cooper Lomaz; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing engineering business based in Ipswich is seeking a Production Manager to oversee operations across the factory. The ideal candidate will have a mechanical or engineering background and strong man-management skills. You will be responsible for managing multiple machinery build projects, motivating teams, and ensuring that production targets are met. This hands-on role offers a clear progression pathway within a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Mechanical or engineering background, ideally within machinery build or similar environments.
• Previous experience in a production, manufacturing or workshop leadership role.
• Strong man-management skills with the confidence to give direction and drive performance.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage production workflows across the factory.
• Oversee up to 20 concurrent machinery build projects.
• Lead, motivate and manage shop floor teams to deliver builds on time and within budget.

Skills

Mechanical or engineering background

Strong man-management skills

Good IT skills

Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

Production Manager

Ipswich
£30,000 - £40,000 per annum

Cooper Lomaz are recruiting for a Production Manager to join a growing engineering and machinery build business based in Ipswich. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a mechanical or engineering background who thrives in a hands‑on manufacturing environment and enjoys leading from the front and who is computer literate and able to pick up MRP / ERP internal systems.

This role would suit someone who is confident managing people on the shop floor, driving performance, and ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget in a low‑volume, high‑value production setting.

The Role

You will be responsible for overseeing production operations across the factory, managing multiple live machinery builds at any one time (up to 20 concurrent projects). This is a highly visible, floor‑based leadership role where you will be expected to motivate teams, maintain workflow efficiency, and ensure delivery targets are met. You will also work closely with procurement and other internal teams to make sure materials and components are available in line with build schedules.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and manage production workflows across the factory
• Oversee up to 20 concurrent machinery build projects
• Lead, motivate and manage shop floor teams to deliver builds on time and within budget
• Actively monitor productivity and challenge non-performance
• Maintain a strong presence on the factory floor – this is not a desk‑based role
• Liaise with the procurement team to ensure parts and deliveries align with production schedules
• Apply workflow principles such as JIT and Kanban in a low‑volume, high‑value environment
• Very comfortable using spreadsheets and production data to track progress and support planning
• Be client‑facing when required, supporting project communication and delivery updates

About You

• Mechanical or engineering background, ideally within machinery build or similar environments
• Previous experience in a production, manufacturing or workshop leadership role
• Strong man‑management skills with the confidence to give direction and drive performance
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced production environment with multiple live projects
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
• Organised, proactive and confident communicating across teams and with customers

Development Opportunity

This role offers a clear progression pathway, with the opportunity to develop further into a senior Production Management position under the guidance and mentorship of the Operations Manager.

If you're a hands‑on production leader who enjoys being on the shop floor and making things happen, this is a brilliant opportunity to step into a key role within a growing engineering business.