Production Manager

Location: Boksburg, South Africa

Company: Rely Precision Castings

Industry: Advanced Manufacturing – Investment Castings

Reports to: Operations Manager --> Commercial Director -->Managing Director

Employment Type: Full-time

Rely Precision Castings is a leading South African manufacturer of high-integrity investment castings, supplying precision components to a variety of industries across the globe. Founded in 1953 and ISO 9001:2015 certified, our operations are grounded in metallurgical excellence and technical innovation.

Following a successful shareholder-led turnaround, we’re scaling production and restoring our position as a market leader. We're seeking a hands-on Production Manager to lead from the front — someone who thrives in high-stakes environments, brings technical depth, and can empower our people to deliver at pace and with pride.

This is a pivotal leadership role in a business undergoing structured growth. You will manage the full production lifecycle — including wax, dipping, melting, fettling, heat treatment, and finishing — while driving the execution of production plans, optimizing processes, and maintaining strong operational control.

Investment casting experience is not required, but the role demands a strong technical mindset, mechanical intuition, and the ability to quickly grasp dynamic processes. You’ll need to lead teams with discipline, motivate staff through practical leadership, and maintain an unrelenting focus on output quality and turnaround times.

• Lead, manage, and coach production teams to meet daily, weekly, and monthly production targets.
• Ensure all production activities are delivered on-time, within spec, and aligned to quality and SHERQ standards.
• Oversee equipment uptime and coordinate with maintenance teams on preventative maintenance and urgent repairs.
• Minimize downtime through structured troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and workflow optimization.
• Monitor and improve production KPIs including yield, scrap, rework, cycle time, and on-time delivery.
• Manage labour relations on the shop floor in accordance with South African labour laws and union frameworks.
• Understand and enforce operational discipline — coaching teams through structure, process adherence, and accountability.
• Take ownership of team capability development and skills growth.
• Drive change initiatives to improve throughput, reduce waste, and adapt to evolving production challenges.

• 5+ years of experience in a production management or manufacturing leadership role (preferably in heavy industry, engineering, or metals).
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of managing shop-floor personnel in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Practical understanding of mechanical systems and manufacturing technology — able to guide teams through breakdowns, repairs, and process challenges.
• Hands-on experience working with maintenance teams and managing downtime or equipment reliability programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading 80 plus staff members.
• Solid knowledge of South African labour legislation and experience working in unionized environments.
• Strong technical aptitude and learning agility — able to understand complex and evolving processes quickly.
• Effective communicator, emotionally intelligent, and confident managing personnel and performance related matters.

• Degree or Diploma in Mechanical, Industrial, or Metallurgical Engineering or relevant operational experience.
• Background in high-integrity, high-precision, high volume manufacturing environments.
• Exposure to investment casting, foundry operations, or metallurgical processing is advantageous but not required.
• Training or experience in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, or similar methodologies is a plus.

• The opportunity to take ownership in a technically complex, hands-on production environment.
• The chance to shape the culture and structure of a team during a critical growth phase.
• A leadership role with real impact in a company backed by solid shareholders and strategic vision.
• Competitive remuneration aligned with responsibility and performance.