Production Manager

Listgrove Ltd; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

Listgrove Ltd, a well-established private chemical manufacturer based in the North West, seeks an experienced production/engineering leader to manage day-to-day operations, drive performance and lead a team of Supervisors and Operatives.

The role bridges technical and operational management, collaborating with Planning, Technical, Quality and Engineering to enhance process reliability and Right First-Time delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading production, manufacturing or engineering teams.
• Strong technical understanding of manufacturing processes and automation.
• Experience with Lean and Continuous Improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations and drive performance.
• Coach Production Supervisors and Operatives.
• Drive Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
• Improve productivity, yield and Right First-Time performance.
• Ensure health, safety, environmental and quality compliance.
• Use production data and KPIs to inform decisions and sustain improvements.

Skills

Production leadership

Lean manufacturing

Process optimization

Data-driven decision making

Education

Engineering qualification

Tools

Lean/CI methodologies

Job description

• A well-established, privately owned chemical manufacturing company with over 30 years’ experience supplying specialist materials into industrial markets, building a strong reputation for technical expertise, product quality and customer service.
• Operating from a modern manufacturing facility in the North West, the business has invested significantly in its production capabilities, infrastructure and people, supporting continued growth and long-term customer partnerships.
• Reporting to the Director of Sales & Technical, you will take responsibility for the safe, efficient and effective day-to-day management of Production, leading our Production Supervisors and Operatives to deliver customer requirements safely, on time and to the required quality standards.
• This is a hands-on production leadership role that bridges technical and engineering expertise with operational management. You will work collaboratively across Planning, Technical, Quality and Engineering to optimise manufacturing processes, improve plant reliability and performance, and develop a culture focused on safety, quality, accountability and Right First-Time performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading day-to-day manufacturing operations and driving production performance.
• Managing, coaching and developing Production Supervisors and Operatives.
• Driving Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Improving productivity, material yield, Right First-Time performance and manufacturing efficiency.
• Reducing waste, downtime, rework and process variation.
• Driving plant reliability through effective preventative and predictive maintenance and the prioritisation of engineering and maintenance activities.
• Leading and supporting manufacturing engineering projects focused on process improvement, automation, capacity enhancement and operational efficiency.
• Supporting the introduction of new equipment, products and manufacturing processes, ensuring effective handover, documentation, training and operational readiness.
• Ensuring high standards of health, safety, environmental and quality compliance.
• Using production data and KPIs to identify issues, inform decision-making and drive sustainable improvement.

The Person:

• An experienced production, manufacturing or engineering leader with a strong technical understanding of manufacturing processes, production equipment and process control.
• A visible, hands-on leadership style with strong analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to develop teams, improve processes and deliver measurable operational improvements.
• Comfortable working at both an operational and technical level, identifying opportunities to improve plant, processes and manufacturing capability while maintaining a strong focus on people, safety, quality and customer delivery.
• Experience within masterbatch, polymer processing, compounding, chemical or process manufacturing would be particularly advantageous, as would a relevant engineering or technical qualification and experience of Lean/continuous improvement methodologies.
• If you are an experienced manufacturing leader who enjoys being close to the operation, developing people and using technical and engineering knowledge to drive improvements in plant performance, manufacturing capability, safety and quality, we would be pleased to hear from you..

Please understand that due to the expected high number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly

For reasons of better legibility, the simultaneous use of the language forms male, female and diverse (f/m/d) is avoided. All personal designations apply equally to all genders.

For UK roles, candidates must be eligible to work and live in the United Kingdom. Proof of eligibility will be required with your application.

Why select Listgrove?

• Five Decades of Market Intelligence
• Unrivalled Industry Networks
• Recognised International brand
• HR Qualified Professionals

Performance through People.