Fabrication Production Lead - Lean Ops & Team Growth

Journey; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Journey, a global design and innovation agency, is recruiting a Production Manager to lead daily workshop operations across fabrication, welding, carpentry, paint, assembly, and finishing in Birmingham. You will drive production scheduling, resource allocation, and prioritisation to meet milestones while collaborating with Design, Engineering, Procurement, and Installation teams.

The role requires strong Lean Manufacturing expertise, leadership, and experience in production planning, workflow

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Production Manager or Manufacturing Manager in fabrication or bespoke production.
• Strong technical knowledge of fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience in production planning, capacity management, workflow optimisation, and resource scheduling.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Root Cause Analysis, and Continuous Improvement.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and technical documentation.
• Excellent leadership, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Degree or equivalent in Engineering/Production Management is desirable.
• IOSH/NEBOSH certification is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage daily workshop operations across fabrication, welding, carpentry, paint, assembly, and finishing.
• Develop and monitor production schedules, resource allocation, and manufacturing priorities to meet project milestones.
• Collaborate with Design, Engineering, Procurement, Project Management, and Installation teams to ensure seamless project execution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing and process optimisation techniques to improve productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation, quality standards, and company procedures.
• Monitor production KPIs, labour utilisation, material consumption, and manufacturing performance, implementing corrective actions where required.
• Manage workshop resources, equipment, subcontractors, and inventory to maximise operational efficiency.
• Lead, mentor, and develop production teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Identify manufacturing risks, resolve production issues proactively, and support value engineering throughout the production lifecycle.

Skills

Production management

Fabrication

Lean Manufacturing

Leadership

Communication

ERP/MRP

Microsoft Office

Education

Engineering/Production Management qualification

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Journey, a global design and innovation agency, is recruiting a Production Manager to lead daily workshop operations across fabrication, welding, carpentry, paint, assembly, and finishing in Birmingham. You will drive production scheduling, resource allocation, and prioritisation to meet milestones while collaborating with Design, Engineering, Procurement, and Installation teams.

The role requires strong Lean Manufacturing expertise, leadership, and experience in production planning, workflow