Machine Shop Production Manager

Thales; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Cycle to work scheme

Employee discounts

Volunteer day

Stocks and shares

Annual bonus

Job summary

Thales in Belfast is seeking a Machine Shop Production Manager to lead production operations on a 4-day on-site schedule (Mon–Thu). You will ensure cost, quality and deadline adherence while guiding the team to higher autonomy and lean improvements.

The role emphasizes safety, supplier coordination, and the continuous improvement of production processes. Strong leadership and problem-solving skills are essential for success in this fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in production/manufacturing management, with focus on cost, quality and deadlines.
• Strong leadership and people-management abilities.
• Familiarity with Lean, Kaizen and continuous improvement methods.

Responsibilities

• Guarantee team performance in costs, quality and deadlines.
• Manage production plan and daily customer expectations.
• Develop team skills and promote Lean transformation.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Lean & Kaizen

Leadership

Production planning

Job description

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom
Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Job title

Machine Shop Production Manager

Location

Belfast

Type

Permanent (You will work a 4 day week on site; Mon – Thurs)

Main duties and responsibilities include

• Guarantees the performance of their team in terms of Costs, Quality, Deadlines in compliance with the proper application of business standards and Safety and HSE standards,
• Ensures the functional management of the entire ecosystem within their scope.
• Animates their teams, develops their skills to increase their autonomy,
• Animates on its perimeter the support functions allocated in the APRU at the pace of production (Supply Chain, Process Engineering, Lean & Performances),
• Ensures the maintenance of standard costs, proposes areas for improvement, participates in the improvements provided to the support functions
• Guarantee the maintenance of the production plan / daily expectations of the customer, anticipating industrial risks, respecting the Quality of the delivered products
• Guarantee the maintenance of Production / Repair costs
• Optimize Production / Repair and Investigation work in progress by implementing actions aimed at improving productivity and reducing rework
• Manage the load/capacity adequacy and the human resources of their scope with a view to overall efficiency, employee well-being through daily management and appropriate communication
• Develop the skills of their team in the face of challenges, characterize and manage the rise in competence of their team (critical skills and versatility),
• Promote and implement the LEAN transformation approach (Gemba, FCTL, Andon, KAIZEN and InCIght)
• Ensure the rigorous application of standards and be proactive for continuous improvement
• Manage performance through a standardized management process (IObeya), integrated into the site management process
• Set priorities and take the necessary decisions allowing the correction of deviations
• Animate the DOJOs
• Manage the development of the autonomy of their team with the support of the support functions
• Guarantee the safety of employees in their team

Technical Skills

• Practice of analytical and problem-solving techniques (FMECA, PDCA, etc.)
• Technical knowledge of products and their manufacturing or repair processes
• Knowledge of supply chain principles and principal flows
• Knowledge of industrial management control and the MYB process
• Implementation of continuous improvement tools (Gemba Walks, 5S, just-in-time, PDCA, etc.)
• Use of digital tools/dashboards to manage his or her activity (analyses, decision support, etc.)

What We Can Offer

We are committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you will have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.