Production Manager

We have been retained by one of our key clients to recruit a Production Manager for an established heavy engineering manufacturing business in the St Helens area. This is an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious organisation that is investing in its operations to support its future growth.
This is a senior appointment and a genuine opportunity to shape a manufacturing operation. The business is investing in its people, processes, plant and facilities as part of ambitious growth plans, and requires a visible, hands on production leader to help deliver that development.
Role Responsibilities
To lead, transform and systemise the fabrication operation, ensuring it performs safely, efficiently and in line with customer requirements.
You will be responsible for:
* Leading the day to day production operation, with responsibility for safety, quality, delivery, cost and people performance
* Owning the production plan, capacity and resource requirements to achieve on time delivery in full
* Introducing tiered operational meetings, visual management and production KPIs from first principles
* Implementing and sustaining continuous improvement initiatives across layout, flow, standard work, productivity, quality and waste reduction
* Providing operational input into contract reviews, estimating, production lead times and performance against quoted hours
* Developing supervisors, team leaders and a skilled, engaged and accountable shop floor workforce
* Leading capital projects and identifying opportunities for mechanisation, automation and increased manufacturing capacity
You will currently be an experienced production or manufacturing leader within heavy engineering, structural steel or a fabrication environment. You will have the shop floor credibility to lead skilled, time served employees and a track record of implementing operational improvement. Strong planning, commercial awareness and experience of contract reviews, estimating and production lead times are essential. You will be data driven, with the ability to challenge established practices, develop people and secure buy in for change. A practical fabrication or welding background, experience of ISO 3834, multi site working and developing a continuous improvement strategy would be advantageous.
In return, you will receive a salary of £60,000 to £65,000, a strong benefits package and a four day week. More importantly, you will join an ambitious and well invested business where you can have a significant influence on the operation and its future growth