Shift Manager

ALKEGEN; St Helens; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Alkegen Rainford site is seeking a Shift Manager to lead a 10-person production team across three plants in a 4-on/4-off pattern. You will drive safe, efficient manufacturing aligned with production scheduling to meet OTIF targets, coordinating daily with Planning, Quality, EHS and Engineering and leading continuous improvement efforts.

The role focuses on safety, quality, and yield, with responsibilities spanning supervision, performance management, and the implementation of standardised work

Qualifications

• 3–5 years leadership and management experience in a fast-paced unionised manufacturing environment or ILM level III equivalent.
• Experience with good manufacturing practices, including Lean Manufacturing, 5S, TPM.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal across all levels.
• Experience in resource planning, health and safety, environmental and disciplinary procedures within budget constraints.
• Able to work effectively in a team or on own initiative.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• IT proficiency including Microsoft Office; SAP is a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across the Rainford site on a shift (days and nights) in a 4-on/4-off pattern.
• Ensure Health and Safety standards are maintained and champion a zero-injury culture.
• Supervise and lead operational and engineering personnel during nights and weekends.
• Deliver the production plan on a shift-by-shift basis to meet OTIF targets.
• Drive continuous improvement, core process discipline, and 5S housekeeping across all plant areas.
• Engage and develop team members, conduct appraisals, and manage absence/performance.

Skills

Leadership experience

Communication skills

Lean Manufacturing

Problem-solving

IT proficiency

Education

ILM Level III

Tools

SAP

Job description

Job Requirements

Alkegen brings together two of the world’s leading specialty materials companies to create one new, innovation-driven leader focused on battery technologies, filtration media, and specialty insulation and sealing materials. Through global reach and breakthrough inventions, we’re delivering products that enable the world to breathe easier, live greener, and go further than ever before.

With over 60 manufacturing facilities with a global workforce of over 9,000 of the industry’s most experienced talent, including insulation and filtration experts, Alkegen is uniquely positioned to help customers impact the environment in meaningful ways.

Alkegen offers a range of dynamic career opportunities with globe-spanning reach. From production operators to engineers, technicians to specialists, sales to leadership, we’re always looking for top talent ready to bring their best. Come grow with us!

The Shift Manager will support the Production Manager in leading all aspects of operations across the Rainford site with responsibility for all operational personnel on their shift.

You will manage a manufacturing team of circa 10 colleagues across 3 plants, over a 4 on 4 off shift pattern of days and nights. Ensuring the factory is run safely & efficiently, the Shift manager will ensure that all product is manufactured to the highest quality and in line with our production scheduling to ensure OTIF (On Time In Full) targets are acheived. The role will involve liaison with Planning, Quality, EHS and Engineering on a daily basis, with a direct line at looking for continuous improvements to processes, schedules, scrap reduction and quality to ensure that productivity is maximised through driving all aspects of a Global Excellence Manufacturing System.

Main Responsibilities

• Ensure Health and Safety standards are maintained, championing a zero-injury culture amongst production teams.
• Carry out daily SOTs and GEMBAs to ensure a safety driven and fluid manufacturing environment.
• The supervision and leadership of operational employees.
• Control and Creation of manufacturing procedures through SOP and Standardised Work Documentation creation and adherence to.
• The supervision and direction of all Engineering employees at night and weekend shifts.
• Carry out annual personal development reviews.
• Ability to create accountability and to ensure standards are clear, maintained and improved with learnings passed on across all shifts.
• The effective and efficient allocation of resources to ensure plant targets for quality and output are consistently met, including performance and OTIF.
• Delivery of the production plan on a shift by shift basis to meet internal and external customer needs.
• Engage with and motivate team members to high levels of performance. Carry out annual appraisals of all employees under the Shift Manager remit.
• Drive absence and performance management across the team in a timely and professional manner, ensuring all aspects are escalated through Human Resources.
• Identification of training/developmental needs for team members.
• Engage and participate in a work environment of Continuous Improvement- Identification and implementation of corrective actions to optimise quality and yield -Reporting of non- compliant material to appropriate departments through a defined escalation process and root cause analysis.
• To elevate issues to wider management team both during days and outside normal working hours so that so shifts are capable of delivering customer needs- Represent the Plant Manager during night shifts and weekends.
• To be available to attend/hold disciplinary hearings and investigations if called upon.
• During times of emergencies, Shift Manager to step in on Production Duties to ensure seamless running of Plants and minimise downtime.
• Conduct daily operational reviews and briefings feeding all Safety/Quality/Yield/Downtime/Engineering KPI escalations to relevant department heads to create champions and RCA in all required fault finding/remedies.
• Responsible for all 5S/housekeeping duties in all plant areas, auditing cleaning schedules against Process Cleaners and Production operatives alike, both internally and externally to the plant buildings. Escalating all non-conforming 5s requests that cannot be closed off immediately to ensure Plantwide 5S protocols are adhered to.

Job Competencies

• Safe Working Championing.
• Adherence to quality standards for all product/processes.
• Performance of basic daily checks on people, plant and process
• First level absence management including return to works, and follow up meetings.
• Root Cause Analysis tools and techniques

Our Ideal candidate

• 3-5 years Leadership and Management experience within a fast-paced unionised manufacturing environment/or a qualification of ILM level III, or equivalent, in a related field.
• Experience working with good manufacturing and engineering practices, including Lean Manufacturing, 5S, TPM.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written across all levels of the business.
• Experience and competence in resource planning, the application of health and safety, environmental and disciplinary procedures and working within budgetary constraints.
• Able to work effectively within a team or on own initiative.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• IT proficiency including good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, SAP a bonus.
• Able to ensure safe and efficient working through operating the permit to work (PTW) or Lock out, Tag Out procedures.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time or without notice.

At Alkegen, we strive every day to help people – ALL PEOPLE – breathe easier, live greener and go further than ever before. We believe that diversity and inclusion is central to this mission and to our impact. Our diverse and inclusive culture drives our growth & innovation and we nurture it by actively embracing our differences and using our varied perspectives to solve the complex challenges facing our changing and diverse world.

Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, nation of origin, religion, color, gender identity and expression, age, disability, education, opinions, culture, languages spoken, veteran’s status, or any other protected class.