Production Manager

Dana; Kariega; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Dana Spicer Axle South Africa (Pty) Ltd is seeking a Production Superintendent to lead multiple production lines, ensuring efficiency, quality and safety across shifts.

Responsibilities include aligning the department with strategic goals, monitoring KPIs, driving continuous improvement, and collaborating with engineering, maintenance and quality teams to resolve issues while maintaining cost controls and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 4+ years of applicable experience.
• 5+ years of experience
• English fluency in reading, writing, and speaking
• Strong leadership and decision making abilities

Responsibilities

• Oversee production supervisors and ensure alignment with plant goals.
• Monitor KPIs and drive performance improvements across shifts.
• Lead initiatives to improve productivity, reduce waste, and enhance quality.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and quality teams to resolve issues.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Operational planning

Analytical skills

Performance management

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean manufacturing

Education

Bachelor’s degree or 4+ years of applicable experience

5+ years of experience

Job description

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This position is responsible in managing all production related activities and management of the allocated production area. The role requires good organizational and Communication at all levels and planning skills. The ability to lead and support a cross functional team to achieve corporate goals and plant KPI’s. The main aim is to produce the highest quality product at the lowest possible cost, through waste elimination, problem solving and continuous improvement.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Ensure that the department is aligned to the strategic vision of the Company.
• Progress monitoring and recording to achieve daily / weekly / monthly targets.
• Weekly / monthly assessment of achievement of production targets.
• To ensure the quality condition of the product fall in line with the said KPI's.
• To maintain and enhance a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ensure that interventions such as Problem-solving activity are maintained effectively to add value to the department.
• Maintain plant costs as per set KPI's.
• To ensure that training initiatives are in place to improve skills of workforce.
• To ensure that there is an effective change-point management system in place to combat the effects of absenteeism and new processes.
• Ensure that the department complies with HSE / legal compliance requirements in terms of potential hazards / injuries as well as taking the necessary corrective action for injuries and proactive measure to reduce the risk.
• Responsible for developing a high-performance DOS culture throughout the organization. Leadership required to set an example by promoting and engaging in the following:
  • DOS Audits
  • Managing by Facts
  • Jishukens, Workshops and other improvement activities.
  • Coaching and developing others.
  • Leading the diamond Meetings.
  • Frequent review of the KPI boards in the work area.
• Encouraging all team members to participate in continuous improvement activities.

Education & Experience:

• Diploma and/or Degree in Engineering/Mechanical or relevant tertiary qualification
• 3-5 years related professional experience.
• English (fluency in reading, writing, and speaking)
• High level of leadership and decision making)
• Able to motivate, influence and train people.
• Ability to interact with Management at all levels.
• A good communicator with a proven track record of delivering tangible results through effective management and delegation.

Core Competencies:

Strategy – Ability to think and act in a strategic way.

• Can lead & act consistent with the company’s strategy and values.
• Able to demonstrate strategic problem solving, good decision making and sound judgement.
• Demonstrates sound business and technical acumen.
• Shows a high degree of intellectual rigor during problem solving.

Talent – Ability to build and develop talent.

• Demonstrates ability to develop self and others.
• Shows evidence of continuous learning.
• Demonstrates performance leadership.

Approach – Ability to demonstrate an effective approach to engagement and problem solving.

• Able to build trust and engage others.
• Can build or contribute to an inclusive team environment.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal communications.
• Exhibits a strong professional presence.

Results – Ability to achieve planned results.

• Demonstrates a strong customer focus through planning and actions.
• Acts with initiative and urgency.
• Shows the ability to be a change leader with adaptability and continuous improvement.
• Ability to hold oneself and others accountable for results.
• Demonstrates the ability to leverage all available resources to achieve results.

Dana Spicer Axle South Africa (Pty) Ltd is committed to an organizational culture that recognizes and values inclusion and diversity. The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. You must be fully eligible to live and work in South Africa to apply.

Job Purpose

The Production Superintendent provides leadership and oversight for multiple production lines or departments, ensuring operational efficiency, quality, and safety. This role supports strategic planning, resource allocation, and cross-functional coordination.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee production supervisors and ensure alignment with plant goals.
• Monitor KPIs and drive performance improvements across shifts.
• Lead initiatives to improve productivity, reduce waste, and enhance quality.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and quality teams to resolve issues.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 4+ years of applicable experience
• 5+ years of experience

Skills

• Strategic leadership and operational planning.
• Strong analytical and performance management skills.
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication.
• Experience with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.

Join our team of 28,000 problem solvers who are fostering a culture of innovation by leveraging the diverse perspectives of our global team. We believe in facing challenges head-on by finding opportunity and uncovering possibility, where roadblocks and barriers become targets instead of obstacles. We are One Dana with limitless opportunity.