Salary: From £45,000 (negotiable, depending on experience)
Location: Desborough, Northamptonshire
Job Type: Permanent, Full-time
Department: Extrusion Production
Reporting To: Production Manager
Shift Pattern: 8:00am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
We are a privately owned, family‑run polythene manufacturer and a recognised leader within the UK industry. With a strong reputation for quality and reliability, we are committed to operational excellence, continuous improvement and ongoing investment in the latest extrusion technology. Our production facility is equipped with high‑performance machinery, including advanced multi‑layer extrusion lines, enabling us to deliver consistently high‑quality products to our customers.
Due to recent growth and investment, we are seeking an experienced Extrusion Manager to take ownership and responsibility of our state‑of‑the‑art Blown Film Extrusion Department, driving performance and quality.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership, Oversight and Management
* Provide overall leadership and management of the Extrusion Department team
* Liaise with HR and the Production Manager on employee matters, including: attendance, absences, performance, development and grievance issues
* Maintain appropriate staffing levels, including the effective management of overtime to maximise production efficiency
* Ensure all team members operate safely, efficiently and cost‑effectively, identifying and implementing training and development requirements where necessary
* Lead, motivate and support staff, fostering strong working relationships and a positive team culture
* Conduct regular performance reviews and one‑to‑one meetings, setting objectives, monitoring progress and supporting employee development
* Promote high standards of attendance, conduct and accountability across the Department
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance, efficiency and employee engagement
* Work effectively and maintain working relationships alongside operators, Team Leaders, Conversion and Print Managers, Company Directors, Engineers (external and internal) and planning teams
Health and Safety, Quality and Compliance
* Ensure individual and team compliance with all Health & Safety, Quality and Environmental policies, procedures and legislative requirements
* Work closely with HR and relevant stakeholders to ensure all safety training, certifications, risk assessments and safe working procedures remain current and fully compliant
* Promote a strong safety culture by encouraging best practices, hazard identification and continuous improvement in workplace safety
* Ensure compliance with all relevant industry standards and certifications, including BRC, ISO and operational specific regulations
Machine Performance and Maintenance
* Monitor machine performance, production output and scrap levels, ensuring targets for quality and waste reduction are achieved
* Conduct root cause analysis of equipment, process and quality issues, implementing corrective and preventative actions to minimise recurrence
* Plan, coordinate and oversee production activities to ensure customer orders, delivery schedules and quality standards are consistently met
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance output and overall equipment effectiveness, while reducing waste, downtime and operating costs
* Troubleshoot and resolve technical, mechanical and process‑related issues across all blown film extrusion lines, ensuring minimal disruption to production
* Collaborate with Maintenance and Engineering teams (internal and external) to optimise machine reliability
* Analyse production data and performance metrics to identify opportunities for improvements
* Ensure machinery is operated and maintained in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, company procedures and regulatory requirements
Improvement and Development
* Support capital investment projects, including the introduction of new equipment, technologies to enhance operational performance
* Contribute to new product development initiatives
* Identify improvement opportunities to increase productivity and efficiency
* Evaluate operational and workforce effectiveness, implementing improvements
* Promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging employee involvement
The Ideal Candidate
* Experience within a blown film extrusion manufacturing environment, with a strong technical understanding of the extrusion process, machinery and operations
* Strong knowledge of industry standards including BRC, ISO, Health & Safety and quality management systems
* Strong leadership and decision‑making skills
* People management skills with the ability to motivate and build lasting, professional relationships
* A commercially aware mindset, focused on maximising efficiency, reducing waste, controlling costs and maintaining high‑quality standards
* Comfortable working on the factory floor and engaging directly with production teams to drive performance and resolve issues
* Excellent problem‑solving skills, with experience in root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventative actions
* The ability to collaborate with Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, HR and Company Directors to achieve objectives
* A continuous improvement mindset, with a commitment to driving operational excellence
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