Production Manager

Vickerstock; Derry/Londonderry; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Vickerstock, acting in partnership with a leading engineering and manufacturing organisation, seeks a Production Manager – Material Preparation to lead the day-to-day operation of the Material Preparation Department in a heavy engineering environment.

You will oversee material flow, production planning, team performance and productivity, ensuring components are delivered efficiently to the wider fabrication operation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in material handling in heavy engineering or fabrication.
• Experience supervising a material handling team.
• Strong knowledge of quality standards and inspection processes.
• Experience with production planning and workflow management.
• Proven track record of meeting targets in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specs.

Responsibilities

• Produce and maintain steel nesting layouts to support material procurement and production, maximising material utilisation and minimising waste
• Plan, organise and prioritise the daily workload of the Material Preparation team in line with production priorities and delivery requirements
• Determine the most efficient routing of materials through internal processing equipment and approved subcontractors
• Manage subcontracted material processing activities, ensuring components are delivered on time and to the required quality standards
• Oversee steel inventory management, including incoming materials, stock location control and material traceability
• Ensure the correct steel is allocated and consumed against the correct job, minimising stock discrepancies and misallocation
• Coordinate the preparation, staging and supply of materials and components to support fabrication activities
• Maintain accurate production schedules and material tracking systems to provide clear visibility of stock and job progress
• Ensure material preparation equipment is maintained in safe and operational condition, coordinating maintenance, inspections and repairs where required
• Identify material shortages, capacity constraints and operational risks, escalating issues where necessary
• Ensure nesting data, stock records, batch documentation and preparation paperwork are completed accurately
• Take responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Material Preparation department
• Ensure activities are completed in line with drawings, specifications and company procedures
• Supervise, motivate and support the team to achieve production targets
• Allocate work based on skills, qualifications and workload capacity
• Support performance management, coaching and development of team members
• Assist with onboarding and training of new employees
• Ensure products meet required quality standards and customer specifications
• Support investigations into quality issues and implement corrective actions
• Promote high standards of Health & Safety, PPE usage and safe systems of work
• Ensure machinery, cranes and lifting equipment are operated by trained and authorised personnel
• Maintain strong housekeeping and environmental standards across the department

Skills

Material handling

Leadership

Production planning

Quality inspection

Engineering drawings

Communication

Health & Safety

Job description

Ready to take ownership of a key production function within a leading engineering environment?

Vickerstock are working in partnership with a leading engineering and manufacturing organisation to appoint an experienced Production Manager – Material Preparation.

Reporting to the Production Site Manager, you will lead the day-to-day operation of the Material Preparation Department, overseeing material flow, production planning, team performance and productivity, while ensuring components are delivered efficiently to the wider fabrication operation.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Production Manager, Material Preparation Manager or Senior Production professional with a heavy engineering or fabrication background to take ownership of a critical function within a growing manufacturing business.

In your new role:

• Produce and maintain steel nesting layouts to support material procurement and production, maximising material utilisation and minimising waste
• Plan, organise and prioritise the daily workload of the Material Preparation team in line with production priorities and delivery requirements
• Determine the most efficient routing of materials through internal processing equipment and approved subcontractors
• Manage subcontracted material processing activities, ensuring components are delivered on time and to the required quality standards
• Oversee steel inventory management, including incoming materials, stock location control and material traceability
• Ensure the correct steel is allocated and consumed against the correct job, minimising stock discrepancies and misallocation
• Coordinate the preparation, staging and supply of materials and components to support fabrication activities
• Maintain accurate production schedules and material tracking systems to provide clear visibility of stock and job progress
• Ensure material preparation equipment is maintained in safe and operational condition, coordinating maintenance, inspections and repairs where required
• Identify material shortages, capacity constraints and operational risks, escalating issues where necessary
• Ensure nesting data, stock records, batch documentation and preparation paperwork are completed accurately
• Take responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Material Preparation department
• Ensure activities are completed in line with drawings, specifications and company procedures
• Supervise, motivate and support the team to achieve production targets
• Allocate work based on skills, qualifications and workload capacity
• Support performance management, coaching and development of team members
• Assist with onboarding and training of new employees
• Ensure products meet required quality standards and customer specifications
• Support investigations into quality issues and implement corrective actions
• Promote high standards of Health & Safety, PPE usage and safe systems of work
• Ensure machinery, cranes and lifting equipment are operated by trained and authorised personnel
• Maintain strong housekeeping and environmental standards across the department

What you will need to succeed:

• Minimum 5 years' experience in material handling within a heavy-duty or heavy engineering environment
• At least 2 years' experience supervising or leading a material handling team
• Solid understanding of quality standards and inspection processes
• Experience with production planning and workflow management
• Proven track record of meeting production targets and deadlines
• Experience working within a fast-paced production or manufacturing environment
• Strong understanding of engineering processes
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications
• Strong leadership, organisational and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively across production and operational teams