Team Leader – Manufacturing
Location: Stone, Staffordshire
Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Shifts: Rotating AM / PM Shifts (weekly rotation): 6am to 2pm, and 2pm to 11pm
Salary: £40,000–£45,000 basic (depending on experience)
Holiday: 33 days including Bank Holidays
Pension: Contributory NEST Pension
ALL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE CURRENT AUTHORISATION TO WORK UNRESTRICTED IN THE UK, AND WILL NOT REQUIRE SPONSORSHIP EITHER NOW OR AT ANY TIME IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS
About the Company
My client is an established UK manufacturer specialising in advanced polymer-based manufacturing processes, supplying a diverse customer base across sectors including automotive, healthcare and industrial equipment. The business has built a strong reputation for quality, innovation and customer service and continues to invest in advanced manufacturing technologies, people and long-term growth.
As a successful privately owned organisation with an established leadership team and loyal workforce, the company offers a supportive, collaborative and forward-thinking culture where employees are genuinely valued and rewarded for their contribution.
The Opportunity
Due to continued growth, my client is seeking a Team Leader – Manufacturing to lead a production team within a busy manufacturing environment.
This is a hands-on leadership role, responsible for ensuring production targets, quality standards and health & safety requirements are consistently achieved. You will provide day-to-day supervision of operators, support continuous improvement activities, maintain excellent housekeeping standards and act as a key link between production, logistics and management teams.
The successful candidate will combine strong people leadership with practical manufacturing experience and a proactive approach to problem solving.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, motivate and support a team of manufacturing operatives.
Organise work areas and ensure production activities are prepared and ready at the start of each shift.
Allocate work and ensure team members understand priorities and production requirements.
Monitor productivity, quality and performance throughout the shift.
Ensure compliance with all health & safety procedures, PPE requirements and company policies.
Drive high standards of housekeeping and workplace organisation.
Ensure products are correctly labelled, recorded and transferred to designated storage or WIP areas.
Maintain accurate production and shift records.
Identify and resolve day-to-day production issues, escalating where necessary.
Conduct shift handovers and communicate quality, safety and production concerns effectively.
Support training, development and onboarding of team members.
Assist with updating work instructions, SOPs and best practice procedures.
Work closely with management, maintenance and logistics teams to achieve operational objectives.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement and accountability across the department.
Carry out end-of-shift checks to ensure work areas are safe, secure and compliant.
Skills & Experience Required
Previous experience in a manufacturing, production or industrial environment.
Experience supervising, leading or mentoring production teams.
Strong understanding of health & safety requirements within manufacturing.
Ability to manage priorities and maintain standards in a fast-paced environment.
Good communication and organisational skills.
Practical, hands-on approach with a willingness to lead by example.
Ability to investigate issues and implement effective solutions.
Good attention to detail and commitment to quality.
Desirable
Experience within plastics, polymer processing, rotational moulding, injection moulding, thermoforming or a similar manufacturing environment.
Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement or 5S principles.
Experience training and developing production staff.
What's on Offer?
Permanent position with a stable and growing manufacturer.
Supportive management team and long-serving workforce.
Full training provided on company processes and products.
Opportunity to develop leadership skills and progress within the business.
Competitive salary, pension and holiday entitlement.
A genuine opportunity to make a visible impact within a successful UK manufacturing business.
Applicants must be able to safely carry out the physical requirements of the role, including standing for extended periods, operating machinery and undertaking manual handling activities, with reasonable adjustments where required.