Production Team Leader

Milliken and Company; Bury; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in textile manufacturing is seeking a dedicated Production Supervisor to lead their production teams in achieving Operational Excellence. This role is crucial in ensuring the safety, quality, and efficiency of production processes. You will be responsible for guiding and coaching your team while liaising with various departments to uphold high standards. Join this innovative firm and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in a dynamic work environment that prioritizes employee development and safety.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years team management experience in a production facility.
• Proficient in SAP or similar software applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead production teams to achieve Operational Excellence and ensure product quality.
• Monitor stock levels and material utilization using SAP.

Skills

Team Management

Effective Communication

Problem Solving

Interpersonal Skills

Numeracy

Education

NVQ Level 3 in People Management

NVQ Level 4 in People Management

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

Date: Jan 29, 2025

Location: Bury, BUR, GB, BL8 2AY

Company: Milliken and Company

The Company

Milliken is a successful global business, recognised as an international leader in textile products and specialty chemicals. They have significant manufacturing facilities in USA, UK, Europe and Asia. Their sales offices, development laboratories, Research and Development and technical support centres extend Milliken’s presence throughout the world. With three sites in the UK, Bury, Wigan and Middleton, Milliken Industrials Ltd has built itself into a significant business with products that reach into many markets.

Everywhere you look, you will find Milliken products in aspects of life and you will probably touch their products in a variety of ways almost every day. Their high-grade speciality fabrics which offer comfort and practicality whilst providing essential protection are used in automotive, military service, space and extreme environment exploration and many contact sports and tournaments. Their carpets and linens are found in many of the finest hotels and restaurants and their matting products are providing entrance doorway solutions in many commercial and public premises. Chemicals developed by Milliken give crayons and markers their colour and automobile dashboards their durability, everyday plastics and containers their transparency, durability and aesthetic appeal.

Milliken firmly believes that ethical practices will continue to drive our success as a company, which is why we do more than talk about doing the right thing. The focus, commitment and actions Milliken take raises the bar for ethical standards and has earned us a place on Ethisphere Magazine's list of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" eighteen years in a row, including 2024.

Wellington Plant, Bury

is part of Milliken’s Performance Textiles Division and is a multi-award-winning textile manufacturer supplying fabric products into Airbag systems for automotive vehicles. Shipping to over forty locations in twenty countries, we contribute to saving three thousand lives per year and prevent over thirty thousand life changing injuries. As a showcase site for our Performance Solutions Business, we regularly host visits from multinational companies as well as being a host site for events involving the Manufacturing Institute and Onsite Insights. We pride ourselves on our care and commitment of our associates, providing innovative process solutions that drive the highest quality levels and world class OEE standards.

Reporting to: Senior PRODUCTION MANAGER /Production Manager

Purpose of Role

The purpose of the role is to ensure the smooth running of the production environment, and to lead the production teams to achieve Operational Excellence. They will provide leadership, guidance, coaching and discipline to ensure the manufacture of products that adhere to the high-quality standards expected at Milliken. Liaising with PI/Quality, Health & Safety, Engineering Services, Supply Chain and other managers to ensure success.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Responsible for the safety, quality and legality of all products, people and processes within the remit of the role in the relevant department.

PRODUCTION

• Monitors stock levels, material supply and material utilisation using SAP if required.
• Understanding the required parts of the process in their relevant department.
• Ongoing monitoring of quality and efficiency standards, rectifying issues where possible and notifying manager of any issues that need escalating.
• Responsible for efficient utilisation of raw materials in their relevant department and highlighting any deviation from standard.
• Auditing line standards and ensure follow up actions are completed.
• Advising the Production Manager of issues that may affect quality or safety within the manufacturing areas.
• Supporting customer complaint investigations and their root causes and completing action logs in a timely manner.
• Ensuring visual standards are always being adhered to across the factory and with all process equipment and escalating any issues that cannot be resolved.
• Inspecting all areas of work daily, identifying any areas requiring specific attention and acting accordingly.
• Understanding the importance of efficient use of company resources and actively managing all resources such as staff, energy and materials. Escalating issues that cannot be resolved and following up on actions agreed.
• Responsible for identifying, promoting and supporting the implementation of continuous improvements (MPS) in their relevant area relating to quality, health & safety and team development etc.
• Ensuring that all safe working practices, policies and work methods are adhered to at all times.
• Providing daily, weekly and monthly reporting on key parameters of the role e.g. WIP, PR etc. Utilising company provided software such as SAP or windows.
• Responsible for ensuring standard operating processes are standardised, audited and updated.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Responsible for Health and Safety of Production Associates.
• Responsible for understanding the relevant requirements of the Health & Safety policy and ensuring the team members are aware of their duties in relation to the policy.
• Identifying and eliminating or minimising all related Health and Safety risks by conducting monthly safety audits.
• Completing Risk Assessments when required for manager sign off.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate record keeping related to Staff, monitoring of health and safety through PPE checks, hazard awareness and monitoring best practice.
• Managing any safety issues and escalating unresolved issues.
• Defining and promoting safe working practices within all standard operating procedures.
• Effective Operational Safety/Risk Management standard owner.
• Accredited to IOSH standard or equivalent.

COST CONTROL

• Ensuring effective control of resource to agreed guidelines.
• Allocating and monitoring overtime with Manager’s approval.
• Maintaining agreed labour costs through effective headcount allocation and reporting any deviation from standard.
• Compiling of Major Incident Reports (MIR) in relation to breakdowns and OQ.

PEOPLE

• Ensuring Milliken competencies are being effectively demonstrated and embraced across the whole team.
• Ensuring the team is motivated, capable, well trained and efficient to ensure targets and high standards are achieved.
• Circulating management information through briefings with the team and progressing matters of concern with the Production Manager.
• Appraising employees (on going via One-to-One meetings, plus annual appraisals), setting effective goals and discussing/agreeing performance parameters with Manager.
• Identifying and planning employees training requirements.
• Ensuring a team approach environment is actively promoted.
• Conducting counselling meetings with individual team members if required.
• Accurate employee record keeping such as holiday allocation, absence etc. must be maintained.
• Absence and Time Management.
• Conducting guidance discussions with individual employees if required and informing manager of outcome.
• Meeting applicants during the final stage of the interview process.
• Ensuring all new associates are effectively inducted into the team and receive initial training plans within 4 days of joining.
• Ensuring consistency with all employees in line with company policies and procedures.
• Liaising with supporting departments when necessary to ensure good service.
• Ensuring that training files are updated and maintained when required.
• Responsible for the training of production associates using operating procedures to ensure quality, safety and data accuracy are always adhered to.

QUALITY

• Ensuring the fundamental Quality standards are in place at all times.
• Working closely with the Quality team to ensure only the best quality products are manufactured.
• Ensuring that the production areas are maintained to a clean and hygienic standard.
• Ensuring all employees follow PPE and safety standards at all times. Always lead by example.
• Compiling of Major Incident Reports (MIR) in relation to breakdowns and off quality (OQ) issues.

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Education

Minimum ‘O’ level/GCSE standard or NVQ Level 3 qualification (or equivalent) in people management or team leading.

NVQ Level 4 or above or equivalent qualification in people management.

Work Experience

Minimum 2 years team management experience in a production facility.

Proven experience of carrying out all aspects of employee management and development.

Experience of significant people management projects and responsibilities within a busy environment.

Abilities

Effective verbal and written communication to employees at all levels.

Effective interpersonal skills.

Good level of numeracy.

Proficient in Microsoft Office based software applications.

Proficient in the use of SAP or similar.

Ability to present to large groups.

Proven experience of using effective communication to deliver and manage difficult and challenging situations within a large team.

Personality

Ability to identify problems and act to resolve them.

Self-Motivated, Assertive, Persuasive, Approachable.