The Interim Production Manager role is a challenging position that involves taking responsibility for all aspects of production, including managing, motivating, and developing a team of up to 50 staff involved in the manufacturing process from raw materials to finished product, with a focus on safety, quality, cost, and delivery.
Responsibilities
* Take full accountability for day‑to‑day production operations, ensuring output, quality, cost, and delivery targets are consistently achieved
* Lead, motivate, and develop production teams (c50, 4 direct reports), including supervisors and operators, to create a positive, performance‑driven culture
* Plan and manage production schedules to meet customer demand while maximising efficiency and utilisation of labour and equipment
* Ensure strict compliance with health, safety, and environmental requirements, embedding a strong safety culture across all shifts
* Monitor and analyse production KPIs, identifying issues, trends, and improvement opportunities, and implementing effective corrective actions
* Work closely with engineering and maintenance teams to maximise equipment reliability, minimise downtime, and support preventative maintenance programmes
* Collaborate with planning, supply chain, and procurement teams to ensure materials availability and smooth production flow
* Own production quality standards, working with quality teams to resolve non‑conformances and prevent repeat issues
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including lean manufacturing, waste reduction, process optimisation, and cost‑saving projects
* Manage staffing levels, shift patterns, training, and skills development to meet current and future business requirements
* Support new product introductions, trials, and process changes, ensuring a smooth transition from development into production
* Prepare and present clear production reports, performance updates, and improvement plans to senior management
Qualifications
* Results orientated with a real desire to improve performance through a proactive and positive approach to management
* Ambitious with a competitive edge and the capacity to bring the team along through a natural ability to inspire
* Degree qualified in engineering, operations, or business
* Proven experience of managing teams, ideally in a world‑class manufacturing environment
* Experience of implementing continuous improvement and lean manufacturing practices is essential
* Experience of utilising six sigma techniques
* Track record of seeking and finding efficiency and cost improvements
* Experience of using OEE for measurement and the basis of improvement
* Bottom‑line focus and the ability to communicate the importance of cost to the team
* Plan and allocate resources effectively, including staffing contingency planning, succession management, and training
* Conduct annual appraisals
* Excellent professional communication skills, both written and verbal
* Manage waste, downtime, and performance data, ensuring accurate reporting across OEE, efficiency, product weights, and labour usage to support better decisions and performance insights
* Available to start a new role immediately or on short notice
Job Offer
* Competitive salary between £45,000 and £60,000 depending on experience
* Opportunity to contribute to a well‑respected company in the industrial/manufacturing industry
* Fixed‑term contract for six months initially with an immediate start
* Potential for professional growth in the engineering and manufacturing department
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