Head of Manufacturing

Morgan Ryder; High Wycombe; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Life insurance

Health care scheme

Virtual GP

Gym membership discount

Retail discounts

Job summary

Morgan Ryder is seeking an ambitious Head of Manufacturing to own our 100-strong operation in a fast-paced, made-to-order environment. You will lead on safety, quality, productivity and performance, reporting to the Operations Director and working with Shift Managers and Team Leaders on the shop floor.

You will drive daily targets, reduce waste, develop leaders, champion Lean and continuous improvement, and build a culture of accountability.

Qualifications

• Experience leading manufacturing operations in a fast-paced, made-to-order environment.
• Proven track record of delivering safety, quality and productivity improvements.
• Strong people leadership and development capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations to meet customer demand safely and on time.
• Drive output, productivity and labour efficiency with a focus on daily/hourly targets.
• Reduce overtime, waste and scrap through better processes and workforce planning.
• Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational discipline.
• Lead and develop Shift Managers and Team Leaders to create a high-performing leadership team.
• Champion Lean, 5S, Kaizen and root-cause analysis across the operation.
• Monitor factory performance and take corrective action when needed.
• Collaborate with Planning, Quality, Customer Service and Operations to achieve objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Organisation

Problem solving

Productivity improvement

Accountability

Communication

Resilience

Job description

Head of Manufacturing

Lead. Improve. Inspire. Deliver.

We're looking for an ambitious, people-focused Head of Manufacturing to take ownership of our manufacturing operation and lead a team of around 100 people in a fast-paced, made-to-order environment.

This is a highly visible leadership role for someone who thrives on the shop floor, enjoys solving problems and knows how to turn operational challenges into measurable improvements.

Reporting to the Operations Director, you'll lead our production teams and work closely with Shift Managers, Team Leaders and wider business functions to deliver safety, quality, productivity and performance.

What you'll be responsible for

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations to deliver customer demand safely, efficiently and on time.
• Drive output, productivity and labour efficiency, with a strong focus on achieving daily and hourly targets.
• Reduce overtime, waste and scrap through better processes, planning and workforce utilisation.
• Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational discipline.
• Lead and develop Shift Managers and Team Leaders, creating a strong, engaged and high-performing leadership team.
• Champion Lean, 5S, Kaizen, root-cause analysis and problem-solving across the operation.
• Monitor factory performance, identify issues quickly and take decisive corrective action.
• Work collaboratively with Planning, Quality, Customer Service and Operations to achieve business objectives.
• Be a highly visible, approachable leader who sets the standard and leads from the front.

What we're looking for

You'll be an experienced manufacturing leader with experience ideally gained within a high-variety, made-to-order environment.

You’ll bring:

• Strong leadership skills and the ability to motivate, coach and develop people.
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills in a changing, fast-paced environment.
• A hands-on, practical approach to problem solving and troubleshooting.
• A track record of improving productivity, efficiency and operational performance.
• The confidence to set clear expectations, hold people accountable and build respect.
• Excellent communication skills and a genuine focus on customers and teamwork.
• Resilience, adaptability and a continuous-improvement mindset.

Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen or Six Sigma experience would be advantageous.

This is an opportunity to make a real difference. You'll have the visibility, responsibility and influence to shape how our manufacturing operation performs - while developing a talented team and creating a culture where people and performance go hand in hand.

On offer

• A salary to £90,000
• Pension
• 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays
• Life insurance
• Health care scheme
• Virtual GP
• Gym membership discount
• Retail discounts

At Morgan Ryder we can provide you with a full range of employment opportunities from short term and fixed term temporary vacancies to permanent positions.

Our commitment:

Equal opportunities are important to us. We believe that diversity and inclusion at Morgan Ryder Associates are critical to our success as DE&I positive company, so we want to recruit, develop, and keep the best talent. We encourage applications from everyone, regardless of background, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, ethnicity, belief, age, family or parental status, and any other characteristic.