Production manager – joinery

Critical Playground LLC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Senior role

Influence over production

Ambitious projects

East London workshop

Collaboration with designers

Design input

Systems investment

Quality focus

Growth opportunities

Job summary

East JR in London is seeking a senior Joinery Production Manager to lead our bespoke joinery production across multiple projects. This role sits between the design studio and workshop, guiding production decisions from design review to manufacture.

We value deep understanding of how high-quality joinery is made, strong planning, and collaborative leadership. Bethnal Green, East London-based, full-time and permanent.

Qualifications

• strong practical knowledge of high-quality bespoke joinery, furniture or cabinetry
• an excellent understanding of joinery construction, materials, hardware, finishes and manufacturing processes
• experience in production management, workshop management, technical design, furniture production or a closely related role
• the ability to read, understand and critically review technical drawings
• excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage several projects and priorities simultaneously
• strong administrative discipline and confidence working with digital production and project-management systems
• good commercial awareness, particularly around labour, efficiency and production time
• the ability to identify problems early and make clear, practical decisions
• confidence communicating with designers, project managers, suppliers and experienced makers
• the confidence to challenge a drawing, detail, programme or assumption when something does not stack up
• high standards, attention to detail and a genuine commitment to manufacturing quality
• a collaborative but decisive approach to management
• experience delivering high-end residential, hospitality, retail or commercial joinery would be particularly valuable

Responsibilities

• plan and coordinate the production of high-quality bespoke joinery across multiple projects
• review upcoming work to ensure designs are resolved, buildable and ready for manufacture
• work closely with designers and technical designers to develop effective construction methods and details
• understand labour requirements, production time and the commercial impact of manufacturing decisions
• maintain clear visibility of workshop workload, priorities, capacity and upcoming production
• identify risks, missing information and difficult details before they become problems in manufacture
• coordinate materials, specialist processes and other requirements needed for production
• work closely with the workshop team throughout manufacture and provide practical production input where required
• coordinate with project managers around production, installation and programme requirements
• help develop better production systems, standards and ways of working as the company continues to grow

Skills

Practical joinery knowledge

Planning and organization

Management and leadership

Communication with designers

Problem solving

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Collaboration

Job description

East JR is seeking a joinery production manager to join its team in London.

Location: Bethnal Green, East London

Role: full-time, permanent

Level: senior management

Salary: competitive, dependent on experience

About us

East JR is a design, build and bespoke joinery studio based in East London.

We bring interior design, technical development, construction and bespoke manufacture together under one roof. Our in-house studio and workshop allow us to develop ambitious projects with a clear understanding of design, cost, buildability and delivery from the outset.

The company has grown significantly over the past few years, with an increasing portfolio of hospitality, commercial and residential projects. We are now looking for an experienced Production Manager to become a key part of the team responsible for developing and delivering our bespoke joinery.

The role

This is a senior production role sitting between our design studio and workshop.

You will work alongside our existing Production and Operations Manager, bringing a complementary strength in joinery manufacture, construction methodology and practical buildability.

We are looking for someone who understands how high-quality bespoke joinery is actually made, but who is equally strong at planning, organisation, communication and management.

You will become involved before projects reach the workshop – reviewing designs, challenging details, understanding labour and production requirements, planning upcoming work and helping make sure projects are properly resolved before manufacture begins.

This is not simply a workshop management role, nor is it a position for someone looking to spend the majority of their time on the tools.

You should be as comfortable reviewing drawings, programmes, production information and labour requirements as you are discussing the best ways to manufacture a difficult piece of joinery.

You do not need to be a career bench joiner. Strong candidates could come from joinery manufacture, furniture production, technical design, production design, workshop management or another closely related background.

What matters is a deep understanding of how bespoke joinery is made, combined with the organisational and commercial discipline required to manage production properly.

Key responsibilities:

• plan and coordinate the production of high-quality bespoke joinery across multiple projects
• review upcoming work to ensure designs are resolved, buildable and ready for manufacture
• work closely with designers and technical designers to develop effective construction methods and details
• understand labour requirements, production time and the commercial impact of manufacturing decisions
• maintain clear visibility of workshop workload, priorities, capacity and upcoming production
• identify risks, missing information and difficult details before they become problems in manufacture
• coordinate materials, specialist processes and other requirements needed for production
• work closely with the workshop team throughout manufacture and provide practical production input where required
• coordinate with project managers around production, installation and programme requirements
• help develop better production systems, standards and ways of working as the company continues to grow

About you:

• strong practical knowledge of high-quality bespoke joinery, furniture or cabinetry
• an excellent understanding of joinery construction, materials, hardware, finishes and manufacturing processes
• experience in production management, workshop management, technical design, furniture production or a closely related role
• the ability to read, understand and critically review technical drawings
• excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage several projects and priorities simultaneously
• strong administrative discipline and confidence working with digital production and project-management systems
• good commercial awareness, particularly around labour, efficiency and production time
• the ability to identify problems early and make clear, practical decisions
• confidence communicating with designers, project managers, suppliers and experienced makers
• the confidence to challenge a drawing, detail, programme or assumption when something does not stack up
• high standards, attention to detail and a genuine commitment to manufacturing quality
• a collaborative but decisive approach to management
• experience delivering high-end residential, hospitality, retail or commercial joinery would be particularly valuable

What we offer:

• a senior role within a growing design, build and bespoke manufacturing business
• significant influence over how our joinery production operation develops
• the opportunity to work on ambitious, highly varied commercial and residential projects
• an established East London workshop with an experienced team of makers
• close collaboration with interior designers, architects, technical designers and project managers
• the opportunity to influence projects during design development rather than simply receiving them at manufacture
• a business actively investing in stronger systems, management and production processes
• a working environment where design quality and manufacturing quality are equally important
• significant opportunity to develop the role as East JR continues to grow