Production Supervisor

Questech Recruitment Ltd; Chippenham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Questech Recruitment Ltd is assisting a well-established manufacturing client in Chippenham, UK to recruit an experienced Production Supervisor. You will lead a busy manufacturing team, drive safety, quality, efficiency and continuous improvement on the shop floor.

The ideal candidate will have experience in plastics extrusion or continuous polymer processing, plus a strong track record in Lean, OEE and problem solving. Shift pattern is 3 on 3 off, 12-hour days/nights on rotation.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical, Industrial or Plastics engineering or equivalent.
• Proven production leadership experience in manufacturing.
• Experience in plastics extrusion or continuous polymer processing.
• Knowledge of extrusion equipment and downstream systems.
• Lean, OEE, SPC and continuous improvement knowledge.
• ERP/MRP experience and MS Office.
• Basic PLC/HMI knowledge desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations to meet safety, quality, and delivery targets.
• Plan schedules, line utilisation, changeovers, and material flow.
• Coordinate with Engineering and Maintenance for PM and breakdowns.
• Drive safety-first culture and EHS compliance.
• Lead investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure products meet specifications and quality standards.
• Implement and maintain SOPs, SPC, first-off checks, and actions.
• Develop Supervisors, Team Leaders, and Operators.
• Support capability development across setup, troubleshooting, quality, and CI.
• Drive Lean initiatives including 5S, SMED, Kaizen, and OEE.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Problem solving

Data-driven

Communication

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical/Industrial/Plastics)

Tools

ERP/MRP

PLC/HMI basics

Job description

Our client is a well-established and successful manufacturer. They are looking for an experienced Production Supervisor to lead and manage their busy manufacturing team.

They are looking for a hands‑on production leader who thrives in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment and knows how to get the very best from people, processes, and performance. You will have strong leadership skills, and the ability to drive safety, quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement while building a high‑performing culture on the shop floor.

The ideal candidate will have experience with plastic extrusion or continuous manufacturing experience who enjoys solving problems, improving processes, and leading teams through change.

Salary: Basic + Shift allowance (to be discussed on application)

Hours of work: 3 on 3 off, Days and Nights on rotation, 12 hour shifts (7am-7pm / 7pm-7am)

PLEASE ONLY APPLY IF YOU MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:

• You will have a degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Plastics Engineering, Manufacturing Management, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in a production leadership role within manufacturing.
• Strong experience in plastics extrusion or continuous polymer processing would be ideal.
• Practical knowledge of extrusion equipment, dies, haul-offs, cutters, and downstream systems
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, OEE, SPC, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a data-driven mindset.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• A basic understanding of PLC/HMI systems is desirable.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage daily production operations to achieve safety, quality, and delivery targets.
• Plan schedules, line utilisation, changeovers, and material flow to maximise throughput and minimise downtime.
• Coordinate closely with Engineering and Maintenance teams on preventative maintenance and breakdown response.
• Drive and maintain a strong safety-first culture, ensuring compliance with EHS standards and procedures.
• Lead incident investigations and implement corrective actions where required.
• Ensure products consistently meet specification and quality standards.
• Implement and maintain SOPs, SPC processes, first-off checks, and corrective actions.
• Lead, coach, and develop Supervisors, Team Leaders, and Operators.
• Support capability development across setup, troubleshooting, quality, and continuous improvement activities.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives including 5S, SMED, Kaizen, and OEE improvement.

This role would suit someone with a similar job title, such as; Production Team Leader / Production Supervisor / Production Manager / Manufacturing Team Leader / Manufacturing Supervisor / Manufacturing Manager / Manufacturing Team Manager / Manufacturing Team Supervisor / Shift Supervisor / Shift Team Leader / Shift Manager / etc