Production Manager

We are looking for an experienced Production Manager to lead a busy furniture manufacturing operation, taking ownership of production performance, people leadership, quality, efficiency and continuous improvement.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who has built their career within furniture, joinery or a closely related manufacturing environment and understands the challenges of delivering high-quality products while balancing productivity, cost, lead times and customer expectations.

The successful candidate will combine strong operational knowledge with an engaging and accountable leadership style. We are particularly interested in individuals with a Lean Six Sigma qualification who can demonstrate how they have used continuous improvement principles to deliver measurable improvements on the factory floor.

As Production Manager, you will have day-to-day responsibility for the manufacturing operation and the performance of the production teams.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage production teams to achieve daily and weekly manufacturing targets.
Build a high-performance culture based on clear expectations, accountability, coaching and recognition.
Monitor production KPIs including output, efficiency, quality, waste, downtime, labour utilisation and on-time delivery.
Use performance data to identify issues, understand root causes and implement corrective actions.
Apply Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement methodologies to improve productivity, quality, flow and operational efficiency.
Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, unnecessary process steps and recurring production problems.
Lead structured improvement activity using appropriate tools such as 5S, visual management, root-cause analysis, standard work and process mapping.
Develop supervisors and team leaders, strengthening leadership capability throughout the production operation.
Conduct regular performance conversations and ensure individuals and teams are clear on objectives and standards.
Work with production planning to ensure labour, materials and capacity are aligned with manufacturing requirements.
Maintain high standards of product quality and ensure issues are addressed quickly and effectively.
Promote a strong health and safety culture and ensure safe working practices are consistently followed.
Support the introduction of new products, processes, equipment and manufacturing methods.
Establish standardised processes and ensure improvements become embedded rather than short-term fixes.
Provide clear production reporting to the senior leadership team, highlighting performance, risks, corrective actions and improvement opportunities.

The Ideal Candidate

Proven experience as a Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager or senior production leader.
A strong background within furniture or a closely related manufacturing sector.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt or equivalent continuous improvement qualification.
Demonstrable experience of applying Lean/Six Sigma principles in a live manufacturing environment.
Evidence of delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, waste, cost or lead times.
Strong experience of driving team performance and developing frontline leadership.
A practical understanding of manufacturing KPIs and performance management.
Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis capability.
Experience implementing standard work, 5S, visual management and continuous improvement initiatives.
The confidence to challenge established ways of working constructively.
Strong communication skills and the ability to engage people at all levels of the organisation.
A visible, hands-on leadership style with the credibility to operate effectively on the factory floor.
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