Manufacturing Leader

Theo James Recruitment Ltd; Consett; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Theo James Recruitment Ltd is partnering with a Consett engineering and manufacturing business to recruit a Manufacturing Leader. The role sits close to the shop floor, working with Production, Engineering, Quality and Maintenance to boost safety, quality, cost, delivery and people performance.

This hands-on leadership position involves identifying problems, optimising CNC processes, and driving measurable improvements in productivity and equipment utilisation.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on CNC machining background and shop-floor presence.
• Experience leading and developing production teams in manufacturing.
• Solid understanding of lean, continuous improvement and KPIs.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on leadership across the manufacturing operation.
• Identify opportunities to improve OEE, machine utilisation and cycle times.
• Investigate issues and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Reduce scrap, downtime and waste in the production line.
• Support CNC machining methods, tooling, fixtures and set-ups.
• Use data and KPIs to prioritise improvements and actions.
• Lead continuous improvement and Kaizen activities.
• Coach operators and supervisors to raise technical capability.

Skills

CNC machining

People leadership

Lean manufacturing

OEE improvement

Troubleshooting

Tooling & fixtures

Process optimisation

Kaizen/5S

Job description

Job Title: Manufacturing Leader

Location: Consett

Salary: Competitive

The Company:

Theo James Recruitment is working with an established engineering and manufacturing business in Consett to recruit a Manufacturing Leader into its operations team.

Operating within a technically demanding manufacturing environment, the business produces high-quality engineered components and is continuing to invest in improving its manufacturing processes, productivity and operational performance.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong CNC machining and manufacturing background who enjoys being close to the shop floor, solving problems and helping teams perform at their best.

Job Description:

As Manufacturing Leader, you will work closely with the Production Manager and wider manufacturing team to improve performance across Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and People.

This is a hands‑on leadership position, not a purely office‑based management role. You will spend time within the manufacturing environment, working alongside Production, Engineering, Quality and Maintenance to identify problems, improve processes and remove barriers to performance.

A major part of the role will involve using your technical manufacturing knowledge to support operators and supervisors, improve CNC machining processes and drive measurable improvements across productivity, quality and equipment utilisation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Providing visible, hands‑on leadership and technical support across the manufacturing operation.
• Identifying opportunities to improve OEE, machine utilisation, cycle times and changeovers.
• Investigating manufacturing and quality issues and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Reducing scrap, rework, downtime and manufacturing waste.
• Supporting improvements to CNC machining methods, tooling, fixtures and component set‑ups.
• Using manufacturing data and KPIs to identify performance issues and improvement priorities.
• Leading and supporting continuous improvement and Kaizen activities across the operation.
• Working collaboratively with Production, Engineering, Quality and Maintenance to resolve recurring manufacturing issues.
• Coaching and developing operators, improving technical capability and encouraging greater ownership of manufacturing performance.
• Supporting supervisors and managers with day‑to‑day resource planning and people‑related activities.

Skills Required:

• Strong practical experience within CNC machining and manufacturing.
• Previous experience leading, coaching or developing people within a production environment.
• A strong understanding of continuous improvement and lean manufacturing principles.
• Experience improving areas such as OEE, productivity, cycle time, scrap, downtime or machine utilisation.
• Confident problem‑solving skills with experience identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.
• Good understanding of tooling, fixtures, machining methods and manufacturing processes.
• Experience within aerospace, automotive or another high‑value engineering/manufacturing environment would be particularly relevant.
• Knowledge of methodologies such as Kaizen, 5S/6S, SMED, TPM, 5 Why, 8D or Ishikawa would be advantageous.
• A practical leadership style with the confidence to work closely with operators, supervisors and technical teams.

Why Join?

• Join an established engineering and manufacturing business with a strong presence in the North East.
• Take on a role where you can have a visible and measurable impact on manufacturing performance.
• Work in a position combining technical manufacturing expertise, leadership and continuous improvement.
• Opportunity to influence how CNC manufacturing processes are improved and developed.
• Play an important role in developing shop‑floor capability and improving standards across the operation.
• Day-shift working pattern, offering a strong work‑life balance.
• An excellent opportunity for an experienced CNC/manufacturing professional looking to take on broader leadership and operational responsibility