Head Of Production - Manufacturing

Anglian; Norwich; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Anglian is seeking a proven senior manufacturing leader to take full ownership of day-to-day production across a growing operation. You will lead the production management team and drive performance, cost efficiency and quality.

You will partner with Supply Chain, Planning, Engineering and Maintenance to deliver end-to-end operational delivery, maintain a safety-first culture, and develop a high-performing leadership team within a unionised environment.

Qualifications

• Senior manufacturing leader with hands-on operational and strategic capability.
• Experience leading large shift-based production teams.
• Proven track record in driving operational improvement and cultural change.
• Experience in unionised environments is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead all manufacturing operations to meet output, cost, quality and service targets.
• Drive capacity optimisation, labour planning and operational efficiency across sites.
• Ensure processes are robust, scalable and fit for growth.
• Own and report on KPIs including output, efficiency, cost, scrap and safety.

Job description

Head of Production - Manufacturing

The Opportunity

This is a business-critical Production Management role running the day-to-day production within a growing, manufacturing operation, offering full ownership of end-to-end production

As Head of Production, you will lead the performance and efficiency of manufacturing across all manufacturing processes in a vertically integrated organisation While This role is primarily day-to-day production management, you will also play a key role in driving operational excellence, scaling capacity, and supporting the company's growth ambitions.

You will be a senior member of the Operations team, with significant influence over performance, culture, and continuous improvement across the operation.

Scope & Scale

• Manufacturing responsibility
• Leadership of Production Managers, Supervisors, and large shift-based teams
• Ownership of production budgets including labour, materials, and efficiency
• End-to-end production accountability

Key Responsibilities

• Operational & Strategic Leadership
• Lead all manufacturing operations to achieve output, cost, quality, and service targets
• Drive capacity optimisation, labour planning, and operational efficiency across sites
• Ensure manufacturing processes are robust, scalable, and fit for growth

Health, Safety & Quality

• Build and maintain a high-performing safety-first culture
• Ensure full compliance with HSE legislation, internal policies, and industry standards
• Drive improvements in right-first-time, defect reduction, and customer quality outcomes

Continuous Improvement & Transformation

• Be part of the Lean manufacturing and CI team to improve operational efficiencies.
• Improve key metrics such as OEE, yield, and right-first-time performance

Leadership & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing production leadership team
• Build capability, accountability, and engagement across the workforce
• Foster a strong, inclusive, performance-driven culture aligned to business values
• Work effectively within a unionised environment

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Supply Chain, Planning, Engineering, Maintenance, and Logistics to ensure end-to-end operational delivery

Performance & Governance

• Own and report on key KPIs including output, efficiency, cost, scrap, safety, and labour performance
• Ensure strong governance, reporting accuracy, and operational discipline

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a proven senior manufacturing leader who can combine hands-on operational expertise with strategic thinking.

Experience

• Significant leadership experience within manufacturing or production environments
• Track record of managing large, shift-based operations
• Demonstrated success in driving operational improvement and cultural change
• Experience within unionised environments is highly desirable

Technical Capability

• Strong understanding of production planning, capacity management, and labour optimisation
• Experience using KPIs, ERP/MRP systems, and performance reporting tools
• Background in building products, windows/doors, or similar manufacturing advantageous

Leadership Profile

• Visible, credible leader with the ability to operate mainly at day to day at operational levels and supporting s