Drying Team Leader

Great manufacturing businesses don’t simply achieve production targets – they build environments where safety, quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement shape every shift, every process, and every product. By creating a culture where people are empowered, standards are consistently upheld, and operations run efficiently, they deliver exceptional products while developing high-performing teams.

As our Leather Drying Team Leader, you’ll play a pivotal role at the heart of our manufacturing operation, leading the day-to-day performance of the Drying area to ensure hides move safely, efficiently, and to the highest quality standards. Combining strong operational leadership, technical knowledge, and a passion for developing people, you’ll create an environment where your team can perform at their best while delivering outstanding results for our customers.

• Provide visible leadership across the Drying area, creating a safe, organised, and high-performing environment where standards are consistently achieved
• Champion a culture of health and safety, ensuring safe machine operation, pre-shift safety checks, hazard reporting, and workplace organisation are fully embedded within the team
• Schedule and coordinate material flow through the drying lines, working closely with the Dye House to maintain efficient production and on-time delivery performance
• Monitor quality throughout the drying process, ensuring product specifications are consistently achieved, responding to non-conformances, and maintaining accurate production and WIP records
• Organise, motivate, coach, and develop your team to deliver daily production targets while identifying training needs and building capability
• Coordinate routine and operator-led maintenance activities, working closely with Engineering to maximise equipment reliability and performance
• Support audits, implement corrective actions, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, quality, productivity, and operational performance
• Build strong relationships across Operations and support functions, encouraging collaboration, accountability, and a culture where people take pride in delivering operational excellence.

• You will have experience in a manufacturing or industrial leadership role, ideally within leather, textiles, automotive, or other process-driven production environments
• You demonstrate a strong understanding of production operations, material flow, quality standards, and workplace organisation
• You have experience leading, motivating, and developing teams to achieve operational targets while maintaining high standards of safety and quality
• You possess excellent communication and coaching skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across production, maintenance, quality, and support teams
• You are confident making operational decisions, responding effectively to changing priorities, and maintaining performance under pressure
• You bring strong organisational and planning skills, balancing production schedules, resources, and team priorities effectively
• You have a proactive approach to problem solving, identifying root causes and driving practical, sustainable improvements
• You are numerate, detail-focused, IT competent, and passionate about delivering operational excellence through continuous improvement

You will be instrumental in ensuring the Drying operation consistently delivers safe, efficient, and high-quality production. By leading from the front, you'll create a culture where safety is instinctive, quality is never compromised, and every member of the team understands the important role they play in delivering outstanding products.

Working closely with the Process Lead, Dye House, Maintenance, and wider Operations teams, you'll help optimise material flow, minimise downtime, improve productivity, and strengthen operational…