Production Manager

This is a great opportunity for an established Manager, or an aspiring Team Lead or Supervisor from a precision engineering background, to lead all machine shop production activities at the European manufacturing facility for Cook Compression in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
This is an 8,000 m² state\-of\-the\-art facility featuring a suite of CNC machining centres with up to 9\-axis capabilities and full automation. Here, we perform the full end\-to\-end manufacturing process for a wide range of engineered and made\-to\-order reciprocating compressor components, such as valves, pistons, rings, rods, and packing cases.
The Production Manager is responsible for ensuring manufacturing targets are achieved in order to meet or exceed site objectives, whilst assuring the cost\-effective, timely manufacture and assembly of quality products. The role will include capacity planning, labour allocation, workforce cross\-training and development, and managing a wide range of strategic and continuous improvement projects, all whilst building a culture of trust\-based communication.
The role demands a focus on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development. The Production Manager will take the lead in driving efficiency improvements through the achievement of KPIs, Operational Excellence, and team growth, whilst significantly contributing to the overall business goals.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or other STEM related field


• IOSH Managing Safely


• Minimum 5 years of experience in production leadership, preferably in CNC manufacturing


• Strong understanding of capacity planning and lean manufacturing principles


• Experience of leading change through others using Continuous Improvement techniques and methodologies, backed up with tangible examples


• Excellent leadership and people management skills with a focus on team development


• Familiarity with safety regulations, IOSH Managing safely qualified, and experience with raising 5S/housekeeping standards


• Ability to analyse data, using statistical process control, and drive data\-based decision\-making


• Strong problem\-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines


• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems, Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel, Outlook, Teams and Projects), and other relevant digital tools – using Excel to create filterable SPC charts, trendlines, pivot tables, formulas, etc.

Safety \& Compliance

• Responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all shop floor operators by proactively working with the Senior HSE Advisor to produce and implement health and safety plans.


• Ensure a safe working environment by enforcing safety standards and ensuring compliance with UK and DPC health and safety regulations.


• Actively promote a culture of safety\-first within all areas of the plant through consistent and visible leadership, promoting DPC’s HSE Strategy and implementing initiatives to improve KPIs.


• Effectively lead 5S and housekeeping initiatives by ensuring a high level of organisation and cleanliness throughout the shop floor at all times.


• Act as a key contributor at monthly site HSE committee meetings.


• Create and maintain risk assessments, method statements, and standard operating procedures for all manufacturing and assembly\-related processes.


• Take ownership of actions in relation to incidents on the shop floor by leading investigations, analysing and identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions to eliminate or reduce repeated occurrences.

• Plan and organise all functional activities in relation to headcount, machine output, manufacturing operations, priorities, and sequences to meet current and future customer demands.


• Effectively collaborate with the Production Planner to achieve monthly revenue targets by ensuring accurate capacity planning based on sales demands, capacity plans, and available labour resources.


• Ensure adherence to production schedules and outputs so that daily and monthly OTD KPIs are achieved.


• Identify and facilitate cross\-training initiatives, using a skills matrix to ensure workforce flexibility, identify skill gaps, and promote a multi\-skilled workforce so no machine or process is dependent on a single operator.


• Devise and monitor the completion of training plans for shop floor operators, updating the skills matrix as appropriate and signing off competence with knowledge\-sharing records.


• Review production and operating reports in a timely manner to proactively resolve operational, manufacturing, and maintenance problems to prevent or reduce operational delays.


• Lead the analysis of bottlenecks and areas of downtime, and resolve complex issues that may adversely impact customer satisfaction.

• Lead the shop floor operators in accordance with organisational policies and applicable laws, including, but not limited to, policies involving human resources, safety, personal conduct, and practices involving quality and the control of purchased and manufactured parts.


• Coach Cell Leaders in driving the performance of shop floor operators in operational and technical excellence.


• Responsible for workforce planning activities, which may include interviewing, hiring, and inducting new employees, planning and overseeing daily work, and reviewing headcount and capacity requirements to meet organisational targets whilst protecting business liquidity and forecast plans for growth.


• Build a high\-performance culture with a strong, efficient, and well\-trained team through effective performance reviews, coaching, constructive feedback, goal setting, and by identifying people development opportunities for succession planning.


• Manage shop floor operators' holiday schedules and time\-off requests whilst ensuring there is always sufficient coverage to meet production and on\-time delivery targets, ensuring orders are not impacted due to a lack of skills during periods of absence.


• Proactively monitor employee performance and act appropriately to ensure performance is maintained at a sustained, satisfactory level.


• Review and recommend reward increases based on employee performance as part of the compensation review process for all direct reports.


• Collaborate with other departments and teams within the company, maintaining goodwill and production schedules.


• Oversee complex employee disciplinary or grievance concerns and communicate appropriate outcomes.


• Actively promote diversity and inclusion within the organisation through recruitment strategies, training and development plans, and by fostering a culture of respect and equality.

• Achieve \>95% On\-Time Delivery (OTD) by closely monitoring production flow, labour resources, and skillset requirements, and by eliminating bottlenecks.


• Ensure all products are manufactured to the highest quality standards, with a focus on "right first time" and within monthly quality targets (COGS limit). Effectively track monthly revenue in order to achieve financial targets, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives and growth.


• Proactively manage shop floor consumables to ensure materials are always available for production within the monthly budget limit.


• Take full accountability for an accurate inventory of WIP parts, controlling material through manufacturing processes once issued to the order, minimising excess material wastage, and ensuring that the scrap/material issuing process and accurate recording of waste are followed should replacement material be needed.


• Set and oversee monthly overtime budgets, presenting plans on the level of overtime required to increase revenue through additional hours worked, and managing out\-of\-hours working, including contact with third\-party security companies as required.


• Escalate machine breakdowns, faults, issues, or concerns in a timely manner in accordance with the maintenance process to minimise machine downtime.


• Ensure that PPMs and crane checks are completed daily by operators and that supporting documentation is completed in a timely manner.

• Drive machine uptime, utilisation, and efficiency improvements by analysing production data and implementing strategic changes.


• Regularly assess production throughput performance through KPIs and other relevant metrics, ensuring consistent month\-on\-month improvement.


• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging team members to identify and implement process improvements.


• Raise Corrective Action Reports (CARs) against defects/process issues from suppliers (internal or external).


• Provide feedback to the Engineering Team on improvements to drawings that can help the production team be more efficient and drive a "design for manufacture" mentality.


• Lead A3 Problem\-Solving Workshops with the production team to improve the quality of goods produced, and support your direct reports in leading their own FAST Problem\-Solving Events.

• Lead MOC/CAPEX projects from idea to implementation, using data\-based thinking such as Value Stream Mapping to improve and increase the throughput and capability of the shop; this includes the selection of new machines to ensure the business is up to date with the latest and emerging technologies, such as machine automation.


• Act as the main point of contact to resolve and escalate any issues or concerns between the shop floor and other departments.


• Effectively communicate production challenges, successes, and plans with the site, senior leadership team, and relevant stakeholders, including updating order statuses for Internal Sales within 24 hours.


• Communicate information and its impact on manufacturing to all direct reports when servicing, sub\-contractors, or project works are booked in, and plan

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