Head of Production

Oxford Instruments; Bristol; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + half‑day Fridays

Share incentive plan

Pension and flexible benefits

Strong work‑life balance

Job summary

Oxford Instruments in Bristol is seeking a Head of Production to lead transformation and drive operational excellence in high‑technology manufacturing. You will oversee production operations, ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in managing production teams, a strong background in lean manufacturing, and the ability to foster high‑performing teams. This role offers a supportive environment with benefits such as 25 days holiday and a share incentive plan.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading production or operations teams at scale.
• Strong background in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
• Commercially aware, able to balance cost, quality, and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead Production, Stores, and Dispatch with clear priorities.
• Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure a safe working environment with full compliance to standards.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Team leadership

Continuous improvement

Data-driven decision making

Education

Degree in Engineering or Manufacturing

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

At Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, we are driving the next phase of growth in the rapidly expanding high-volume manufacturing (HVM) market for compound semiconductors. Building on our strong foundation in the research sector, we are scaling our operations to meet increasing global demand — and that is where you come in.

We are seeking a Head of Production to play a critical leadership role in our Operational Excellence journey, transforming our Production, Supply Chain, Stores and Dispatch functions to support sustainable growth, improved customer outcomes and world‑class manufacturing performance.

The Opportunity:

This is a senior leadership role accountable for delivering safe, reliable, high‑quality and cost‑effective manufacturing performance in a complex, high‑technology environment.

You will lead end‑to‑end production operations, driving performance across Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and People (SQCDP) metrics, while building leadership capability, improving production flow and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.

As part of the Operations leadership team, you will also play a key role in strategy deployment, cross‑functional alignment and scaling manufacturing capability to support future growth.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership & Delivery

• Lead Production, Stores and Dispatch with clear priorities, strong communication and visible leadership
• Own production planning and execution to meet monthly and annual delivery commitments
• Ensure a safe working environment with full compliance to HSE standards

People & Capability Development

• Build, coach and develop high‑performing teams, including line managers and technical specialists
• Identify capability gaps and drive succession planning, hiring and skills development
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement and continuous improvement

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Drive lean manufacturing and CI initiatives to improve flow, efficiency and scalability
• Reduce waste across materials, processes and systems, supporting high‑volume manufacturing readiness
• Use SQCDP metrics and data insights to prioritise and deliver improvement initiatives

Cost, Quality & Performance

• Deliver margin improvement through control of labour, rework, scrap, overtime and WIP
• Improve product quality through robust root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Standardise processes and systems to drive consistency and efficiency

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and Commercial teams
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI), ensuring manufacturability and production readiness
• Lead pre‑production builds and ensure smooth transition into full‑scale manufacture

About You:

You are an experienced and credible manufacturing leader with a track record of delivering results in complex, high‑technology environments.

• Proven experience leading production or operations teams at scale
• Strong background in lean manufacturing, problem solving and continuous improvement
• Skilled in developing leaders and building high‑performing, multi‑disciplinary teams
• Commercially aware, able to balance cost, quality, delivery and long‑term performance
• Data‑driven, with experience using ERP and production systems to inform decisions
• Confident decision‑maker, comfortable operating in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment
• Collaborative and influential, with the ability to drive alignment across functions

Experience in semiconductor, precision engineering, vacuum, plasma or capital equipment manufacturing would be highly advantageous.

Qualifications:

• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing or a related discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (or equivalent practical experience)

Why Join Us?

At Oxford Instruments, you’ll be part of a business at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. Our tools enable breakthroughs at micro‑and nano‑scale across a wide range of industries.

We offer:

• 25 days holiday + half‑day Fridays
• Share incentive plan
• Pension and flexible benefits
• A collaborative, supportive environment with strong work‑life balance

If you’re ready to lead transformation, scale operations and shape the future of advanced manufacturing, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and would ask you to get in touch if you are concerned about any barriers you feel you may be facing in your application process with us.

Note to recruitment agencies: Oxford Instruments operates a Preferred Supplier List, and we do not accept unsolicited agency CVs. Please do not forward candidate details in response to this advert, or to any Oxford Instruments employees or other company locations. Oxford Instruments is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs.