Production Manager

Journey; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Journey, a global design and innovation agency, is recruiting a Production Manager to lead daily workshop operations across fabrication, welding, carpentry, paint, assembly, and finishing in Birmingham. You will drive production scheduling, resource allocation, and prioritisation to meet milestones while collaborating with Design, Engineering, Procurement, and Installation teams.

The role requires strong Lean Manufacturing expertise, leadership, and experience in production planning, workflow

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Production Manager or Manufacturing Manager in fabrication or bespoke production.
• Strong technical knowledge of fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience in production planning, capacity management, workflow optimisation, and resource scheduling.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Root Cause Analysis, and Continuous Improvement.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and technical documentation.
• Excellent leadership, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Degree or equivalent in Engineering/Production Management is desirable.
• IOSH/NEBOSH certification is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage daily workshop operations across fabrication, welding, carpentry, paint, assembly, and finishing.
• Develop and monitor production schedules, resource allocation, and manufacturing priorities to meet project milestones.
• Collaborate with Design, Engineering, Procurement, Project Management, and Installation teams to ensure seamless project execution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing and process optimisation techniques to improve productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation, quality standards, and company procedures.
• Monitor production KPIs, labour utilisation, material consumption, and manufacturing performance, implementing corrective actions where required.
• Manage workshop resources, equipment, subcontractors, and inventory to maximise operational efficiency.
• Lead, mentor, and develop production teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Identify manufacturing risks, resolve production issues proactively, and support value engineering throughout the production lifecycle.

Skills

Production management

Fabrication

Lean Manufacturing

Leadership

Communication

ERP/MRP

Microsoft Office

Education

Engineering/Production Management qualification

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Lead and manage daily workshop operations across fabrication, welding, carpentry, paint, assembly, and finishing.
• Develop and monitor production schedules, resource allocation, and manufacturing priorities to meet project milestones.
• Collaborate with Design, Engineering, Procurement, Project Management, and Installation teams to ensure seamless project execution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing and process optimisation techniques to improve productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation, quality standards, and company procedures.
• Monitor production KPIs, labour utilisation, material consumption, and manufacturing performance, implementing corrective actions where required.
• Manage workshop resources, equipment, subcontractors, and inventory to maximise operational efficiency.
• Lead, mentor, and develop production teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Identify manufacturing risks, resolve production issues proactively, and support value engineering throughout the production lifecycle.

Skills & Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Production Manager or Manufacturing Manager role within fabrication, engineering, manufacturing, or bespoke production.
• Strong technical knowledge of fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated experience in production planning, capacity management, workflow optimisation, and resource scheduling.
• Sound understanding of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Root Cause Analysis, and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, manufacturing specifications, and technical documentation.
• Strong leadership, organisational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP or production planning systems.
• Degree, HNC/HND, NVQ, or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Manufacturing, or Production Management is desirable.
• IOSH or NEBOSH certification is advantageous.

Contract Type: Full-time Permanent contract

Location : Birmingham

Ideal start date: 15 September 2026 (flexibility available for the right candidate)

Salary Pay Range

About Journey

The Multidimensional Experience Agency

Journey is a global design and innovation agency shaping the future through multidimensional experiences (MDX) that connect people, brands, and culture.

Our layered MDX approach crafts story-driven, sensory-rich engagement across physical, immersive, digital, and virtual spaces—fuelledby creative and technological innovation.

Born from a legacy of pioneering studios, Journey blends strategic thinking with deep creativeexpertiseto deliver solutions across industries.

Journey’s MDX approach fuels growth and forges lasting value for audiences and partners, by creating cultural connections that resonate with impact.