Production & Warehouse Supervisor

Qualkem; Crewe; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualkem, a proud British chemical manufacturer with over 55 years' experience, is seeking an experienced Production & Warehouse Supervisor to own our production lines and warehouse operation, ensuring quality of finished products.

This hands-on role requires setting up and fault-finding machinery, leading a team, and owning safety, compliance, and continuous improvement across the operation. You will report to the MD and work with Supply Chain, QA, and admin to optimise workflow.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years' experience supervising production or warehouse teams.
• Hands-on with machinery setup and fault-finding.
• Experience with ISO 9001 quality systems and COSHH controls.
• Counterbalance forklift licence and safe working practices.
• Calm under pressure with good communication.

Responsibilities

• Machine set-up, changeover, and fault resolution on filling lines.
• Direct shift production staff and monitor safety and quality standards.
• Oversee warehouse layout, stock control, and inbound/outbound shipments.
• Perform weekly/periodic equipment inspections (LOLER/PUWER) and coordinate maintenance.
• Support batch manufacture and maintain batch records.
• Collaborate with QA, supply chain, and admin for smooth operations.

Skills

Leadership

Forklift licence

Process improvement

Logistics coordination

Team management

Job description

Qualkem is a proud second-generation British chemical manufacturer with over 55 years’ experience. We develop high-quality, market-leading cleaning products across multiple sectors, including medical, leisure, and retail. Over the past 3 years we have ventured into eCommerce, selling our own in-house developed and branded products direct to consumers via Amazon, eBay and our own web shop.

At Qualkem, people, innovation, quality, and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do. You’ll be joining a growing business with a strong team culture, investment in our people, and opportunities for development and promotion from within. We are a small team where people take real ownership of their areas, and where doing things properly matters more than doing them quickly.

The role

We are looking for an experienced Production & Warehouse Supervisor to take ownership of our production lines and warehouse operation, and quality of manufactured finished products.

This is a hands-on supervisory role for someone who can set up and fault-find machinery as confidently as they can direct a team. You will be responsible for keeping our filling and packaging lines running, organising a busy warehouse properly, and owning the statutory inspection regimes that keep it safe.

You will report to our Managing Director and work closely with the:

• Supply Chain & Quality Controller, who manages order processing, production planning, component purchasing & QC, health & safety, and our ISO9001 QMS;
• Senior Production Technician, who holds the technical authority over plant and machinery and batch manufacture;
• Office Administrator, who manages daily goods in and goods out consignments and the in-house eCommerce fulfilment; and the production team.
• This position offers an exciting opportunity to influence workflow, optimize inventory management, and foster a collaborative team environment focused on continuous improvement.

What you will be doing

Machine set-up, changeover and fault resolution

• Supervising setting up and changing over filling machines, table-mounted cappers, in-line banding machines, inkjet coders, in-line labellers, carton tapers and IHS units.
• Diagnosing and clearing in-run stoppages and breakdowns, escalating to our Senior Production Technician, and where beyond scope, seeking support of our part-time Maintenance Engineer.
• Working to ISO-controlled Standard Operating Procedures and completing all associated production documentation.
• Oversee the maintaining of machinery set-up records and changeover instructions.
• Oversee P&M maintenance in a timely proactive manner.

Line supervision

• As directed by the Supply Chain & Quality Controller, communicate production planning to the production team.
• Directing production operatives on shift - allocating work, setting the pace and holding health & safety and quality standards.
• Making sure lines start on time and run to plan, and reporting downtime and its cause.
• Supporting in-line inspection discipline and raising production non-conformances through our ISO 9001 procedure.

Warehouse ownership

• Owning warehouse layout and rack utilisation, planning space ahead of incoming deliveries rather than reacting to them.
• In liaison with the Office Administrator oversee daily goods in and goods out consignments and complete appropriate documentation.
• Establishing and maintaining documented pallet storage rules, including segregation of flammables and clear rack labelling.
• Owning pallet design, wrapping and storage standards.
• Proactively managing component stock checks and end-month reconciliations as directed by the Supply Chain & Quality Controller. Flagging shortfalls of production sundries (pallet wrap, staples etc).
• Maintaining a structured, safe, tidy and clean warehouse and external yard.

Warehouse equipment and statutory inspection

• Acting as process owner for racking inspection - scheduling the external inspection, running the weekly internal regime, closing out actions and holding the records.
• Weekly inspection of ladders and pallet trucks.
• Daily forklift pre-use inspection, defect recording and reporting. Managing LOLER and service inspections.
• Liaising with our maintenance engineer on remedial work and planned preventative maintenance and oversee recording of any remedial works completed.

Batch manufacture support

• Supporting batch manufacture in the wet area, working to formulation, batch record and COSHH controls.
• Developing competence on mixing vessels, pumps, LEV and weighing equipment to provide manufacturing cover during absence and peak demand.
• Supporting demineralised water production, including the flushing protocol between production days.
• Providing an independent second check on batch quality control where required.

Wider support

• Providing cover for our Office Administrator on our in-house eCommerce Pick, Pack & Dispatch operations during absence.
• Acting as Deputy Fire Marshal and fire observer under our site fire plan.
• Oversee housekeeping across the Factory & Warehouse ensuring the working environment meets our TLC standards (‘Tidy, Legal and Clean’).

What we are looking for

• A minimum of five years’ experience supervising a production team in a manufacturing environment.
• A natural ability to lead and manage production and warehouse staff, providing training, coaching, and performance feedback to foster a motivated team.
• Capable of implementing process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and streamline workflows across the warehouse.
• Familiarity with logistics processes including shipping & receiving procedures and 3PL coordination.
• A current counterbalance forklift truck licence.
• Genuine hands-on mechanical aptitude with packaging and filling line equipment - able to set up, changeover and fault-find.
• Demonstrable ownership of statutory equipment inspection regimes.
• Organised and forward-planning, able to sequence work rather than react to it.
• Comfortable working to documented procedures and completing records accurately.
• IOSH Working Safely or Managing Safely, or an equivalent health and safety qualification.
• A background in chemical, COSHH-regulated or ISO 9001 certified manufacturing.
• Experience of chemical batch manufacture or wet-area process work.
• Familiarity with SEMA racking inspection and PUWER / LOLER requirements.
• Experience of inkjet coding or self-adhesive labelling equipment.

The kind of person who does well here

• Calm under pressure, and thinks before acting
• Good communicator - capable of quickly gaining respect of their team and peers.
• Honest and self-reporting on quality - someone who stops a line rather than lets it run
• Willing to write down what they know, so the business is not dependent on any one person.

Join us in leading innovative warehouse operations where your skills will make an immediate impact! We are committed to fostering a safe, efficient, and collaborative environment that values continuous growth and operational excellence.