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.
Povoas Packaging
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