Production Manager

PACProtect; Randstad; On-site; EUR 54,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Lease car

25 vacation days

8% holiday allowance

Vitality budget

Laptop and phone

Job summary

PACPROTECT in the Netherlands is seeking a Production Manager to elevate our full production cycle from Sales handover to delivery, balancing capacity, cost and lead time. You will lead the production team and supplier network, safeguard margins, advise on quotes and orders, and drive continuous improvements in scrap reduction, lead times, and output.

You are commercially sharp, hands-on, and fluent in Dutch and English, with a proactive mindset and strong stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a production team
• Experience in procurement and supplier management, ideally with multiple international suppliers
• Fluent in Dutch and English; hands-on and commercially sharp

Responsibilities

• Own the full production cycle from handover by Sales to delivery to the customer
• Build and run a production plan balancing capacity, cost and lead time
• Lead and develop the production team and daily operations
• Manage and expand supplier network; negotiate price, lead time and quality
• Safeguard margins and efficiency; assess commercial impact of production decisions
• Advise Sales and management on quotes, feasibility and order prioritization
• Ensure quality, safety and compliance with specifications and standards
• Drive continuous improvement: reduce scrap, shorten lead times, increase output
• Minimize dependency on individuals and single suppliers; ensure predictable delivery
• Work on the production floor during peak periods or when needed
• Report on KPIs to management and act on data insights

Skills

Production management

Procurement

Supplier management

Fluent Dutch & English

Hands-on mentality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in industrial/mechanical engineering

Job description

PACPROTECT develops and manufactures ballistic products, to safeguard lives for those who serve. For these products, quality and reliability are not optional; they are a requirement. To support our growth, we are looking for a Production Manager who will take our production to the next level.

Your profile

You have a strong grip on how a production chain works, from the moment an order comes in to the moment it ships. You understand what an order earns and what a delay costs, and you make decisions accordingly. Delivering to specification, every time, is simply non-negotiable for you.

You work in a structured, hands-on way. You translate orders from Sales into a realistic plan, keep suppliers flexible, and lead from the front. When a rush order, absence, or bottleneck demands it, you put on your gloves and work alongside the team. Nobody here is too senior for the floor.

Specifically, you will be working on

• Ownership of the full production cycle, from handover by Sales to delivery to the customer
• Building and running a production plan that balances capacity, cost, and lead time
• Leading and developing the production team and the daily operation
• Managing and expanding our supplier network: negotiating price, lead time, and quality, and switching or scaling suppliers when demand or availability changes
• Safeguarding margins and efficiency, and making sure production decisions are made with their commercial impact in mind
• Advising Sales and management on quotes, feasibility, and order prioritization
• Ensuring quality, safety, and compliance with customer specifications and relevant standards
• Continuously improving processes: less scrap, shorter lead times, higher output
• Reducing dependency on single people and single suppliers, so we deliver predictably as we grow
• Working on the production floor yourself during peak periods or when the team needs support
• Reporting on KPIs to management and acting on what the numbers tell you

Who you are

You make a difference with a calm, confident presence: you hold your own with demanding customers, strong-minded suppliers, and a team that expects you to know the work. You’re practical and analytical, and you get to the core of a problem quickly, whether it’s a missing material, a quality issue, or a schedule that no longer works.

You have a proactive mindset. You don’t wait for a delay to happen but see it coming and act on it. You’re commercially sharp, comfortable with responsibility, and at ease working with many stakeholders at once. You also bring:

• 3-8 years of experience in a production or operations management role, preferably in manufacturing, defense, security, or a comparable technical environment
• Bachelor’s degree (industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, or similar)
• Proven experience leading a production team
• Experience in procurement and supplier management, ideally with multiple international suppliers at once
• A hands-on mentality
• Fluent Dutch and English
• A plus: knowledge of technical materials, composites, or textiles, and experience with quality systems such as ISO 9001

Why us?

• A varied, high-responsibility role with plenty of autonomy and a direct line to management
• A meaningful product and room to grow with the company
• An informal organization with short lines of communication and a strong team
• A gross monthly salary of €4,800 to €6,200, depending seniority and based on 40 hours
• Lease car
• 25 vacation days and 8% holiday allowance
• Vitality budget
• Laptop and phone