Line Leader (Production)

VanRath; Antrim; On-site; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturer of PVC products is seeking a hands-on Production Supervisor for their Antrim facility. The ideal candidate will lead a busy shift team to ensure safety, quality, and efficiency in production operations. With proven supervisory experience in manufacturing and a solid understanding of lean principles, you will play a key role in driving performance and maintaining high standards.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising a manufacturing/assembly team in a high-volume environment.
• Strong knowledge of production KPIs and lean manufacturing tools.
• Flexibility for rotating shift patterns and weekend overtime.

Responsibilities

• Lead a shift team of 15-25 operators, ensuring efficiency and safety.
• Plan daily production schedules and monitor KPIs.
• Champion health & safety standards in a high-risk work environment.

Skills

Supervising manufacturing teams

Lean manufacturing

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Health & Safety knowledge

IT confidence

Education

NVQ Level 3/ONC in Engineering/Manufacturing

Tools

Production tracking systems

MS Office

Job description

VANRATH are delighted to be assisting a Major Client with the Recruitment of a Line Leader based in their Antrim Offices.

Job Role: Production Supervisor

Location: Antrim, Steeple Road Site
Shift Pattern:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7am -4:30pm / 7-1:15pm Friday
Contract: Full‑time, permanent, 40 hours per week
Salary: £15.50 per hour

About
This Company is one of the UK & Ireland's leading manufacturers of PVC‑U windows, doors and building products, is expanding its high‑performance production facility in Antrim. We're looking for a hands‑on Production Supervisor to lead a busy shift team and help us maintain the quality, efficiency and safety standards.

The Role

• Lead a shift team of 15-25 operators across glass‑cutting, toughening, laminating and insulated‑glass‑unit (IGU) assembly lines, ensuring safe, efficient flow from raw sheet to finished sealed units.
• Plan daily glass‑cut lists and furnace loads using our optimisation software, balancing yield, cycle time and energy consumption while meeting OTIF targets.
• Control critical process parameters (edge deletion depth, furnace temperature profiles, spacer application, gas‑fill levels) and intervene quickly to prevent quality escapes.
• Monitor KPIs such as breakage rate, reject % by defect code, OEE and labour utilisation; launch 5 Why / fish‑bone investigations and Kaizen events to drive scrap reduction.
• Champion H&S in a high‑risk environment: enforce hot‑glass, manual‑handling and crane‑lifting procedures; deliver toolbox talks on safe edge‑working and PPE compliance; uphold ISO 45001 standards.
• Quality assurance: sign off first‑article samples, oversee destructive testing (e.g., soak‑test on tempered units), and liaise with QA on EN 1279 & BS EN 12150 conformity.
• Coordinate with Maintenance & Engineering for furnace calibrations, autoclave checks and downtime recovery; support new glass‑technology introductions (e.g., warm‑edge spacer lines, low‑E coatings).
• Provide clear shift handovers and production reports, highlighting throughput, defects, downtime causes and corrective actions; coach and develop team members with skills matrices and PDPs.

About You

• Proven experience supervising a manufacturing/assembly team (plastics, window & door, FMCG or similar high‑volume environment).
• Solid understanding of lean manufacturing tools and production KPIs.
• Strong people‑management, communication and conflict‑resolution skills.
• Working knowledge of H&S and quality standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001).
• IT‑confident: able to use production tracking systems and MS Office.
• Flexibility to work a rotating shift pattern (early/late) and occasional weekend overtime.
• NVQ Level 3/ONC in Engineering/Manufacturing, or equivalent experience. IOSH Managing Safely is desirable.

For more information on this role please click apply and we will reach out to you confidentially.

INDPD

''The team at VANRATH were extremely helpful in helping me find my new role. They kept me up to date on my application and provided excellent advice throughout the interview process. Overall the process could not have gone smoother or any quicker and I would definitely recommend reaching out to them if you are on the lookout for a new role.''

''I was contacted by VANRATH in regards to a job I had applied for. They were extremely helpful and gave me a number of positions to apply for. They had interviews set up in a number of hours and I secured a position within days. They kept we well informed throughout the process and has continued to touch base after I have started my new role. Couldn't recommend enough.''