Production Manager

Mercury-Hampton-Ltd; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercury-Hampton-Ltd is seeking a Production/Manufacturing Manager to lead a major aerospace manufacturing operation in Portsmouth. The role focuses on safety, quality, delivery, cost and people, balancing short-term delivery with long-term improvement initiatives.

You will manage a team of Production Leaders, Supervisors and Team Leaders, drive lean initiatives, and ensure compliance with AS9100 and other regulatory standards in a highly regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership in Production/Manufacturing operations.
• Experience leading large manufacturing teams via Production Leaders, Supervisors and Team Leaders.
• Aerospace, Defence or Military background with AS9100, EASA or CAA knowledge.
• Proven success improving Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People performance.
• Strong experience in production planning, capacity management and operational execution.
• Practical Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement experience.
• Experience implementing Daily Management Systems.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing quality systems and root-cause problem solving.
• Proven Health & Safety leadership experience.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capability.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of operational impact on business performance.
• Able to thrive within a fast-paced and demanding manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing operations to safely achieve production targets and customer delivery commitments.
• Manage production plans, capacity requirements and resource allocation.
• Drive improvements in productivity, throughput, efficiency and labour utilisation.
• Identify and eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks, waste and operational constraints.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Improve manufacturing quality performance including Right First Time, defect reduction and process discipline.
• Provide visible leadership in Health, Safety and Environmental performance.
• Develop, coaching and mentoring operational leaders and future successors.
• Establish effective performance management through SQDCP metrics and daily management systems.
• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and other business functions to achieve operational objectives.

Job description

Production/Manufacturing Manager

• Salary up to £90,000
• Market Leading Aerospace Manufacturer
• Highly Regulated, Safety-Critical Manufacturing Environment
• Strategic Leadership Opportunity
• Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Focus
• Portsmouth, Hampshire
• Permanent, Full-Time

Our client is a well-established and respected aerospace manufacturing business supplying safety-critical products to customers across both commercial and Aerospace markets. Operating within a highly regulated environment, the company has built a strong reputation for engineering excellence, product quality and customer service.

As part of their continued growth and operational development, they are seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead their manufacturing operation and drive improvements across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People (SQDCP).

Reporting to the Site Leadership Team, the successful candidate will take full responsibility for the day-to-day management of manufacturing operations, ensuring customer commitments are achieved while delivering sustainable improvements in productivity, efficiency, quality and employee engagement.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a strong manufacturing professional who can balance short-term operational delivery with long-term continuous improvement initiatives. You will lead through a team of Production Leaders, Supervisors and Team Leaders, ensuring clear accountability, high standards and a culture of operational excellence throughout the business.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading manufacturing operations to safely achieve production targets and customer delivery commitments.
• Managing production plans, capacity requirements and resource allocation.
• Driving improvements in productivity, throughput, efficiency and labour utilisation.
• Identifying and eliminating manufacturing bottlenecks, waste and operational constraints.
• Leading Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Improving manufacturing quality performance including Right First Time, defect reduction and process discipline.
• Providing visible leadership in Health, Safety and Environmental performance.
• Developing, coaching and mentoring operational leaders and future successors.
• Establishing effective performance management through SQDCP metrics and daily management systems.
• Working closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and other business functions to achieve operational objectives.

This role would suit an experienced Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager or Senior Manufacturing Leader with a proven track record of leading teams within a complex manufacturing environment.

Your Background

• Significant leadership experience within Production/Manufacturing operations.
• Proven ability to lead large manufacturing teams through Production Leaders, Supervisors and Team Leaders.
• Must be from an Aerosapce, Defence OR Military background with an understanding of AS9100, EASA, CAA
• Demonstrable success improving Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People performance.
• Strong experience of production planning, capacity management and operational execution.
• Practical Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement experience.
• Experience implementing and driving Daily Management Systems.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing quality systems and root-cause problem solving.
• Proven Health & Safety leadership experience.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capability.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of operational impact on business performance.
• Able to thrive within a fast-paced and demanding manufacturing environment.

This is an outstanding opportunity to join a growing and ambitious aerospace manufacturing business where you will have the autonomy and support to make a genuine impact on operational performance and future growth.