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Production Manager

Location: Leamington Spa

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £45,000 – £55,000 per annum + benefits

We are seeking an experienced Production Manager to join a well-established SME manufacturing organisation based in Leamington Spa. This permanent role is responsible for planning, organising, and controlling manufacturing operations to ensure products are produced safely, on time, to the required quality standards and at the correct cost.

Operating within a fast-paced SME environment, the Production Manager will take full responsibility for managing and leading a production team of approximately 20 employees. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong people management, operational planning, and problem-solving skills, with a focus on driving efficient, lean, compliant production performance and continuous improvement across the business.

Key Responsibilities of the Production Manager:

• Lead and manage day-to-day production operations within a fast-paced SME environment
• Plan and deliver production schedules to meet customer demand, quality standards, and cost targets
• Manage, motivate, and develop a production team of approximately 20 employees
• Drive operational efficiency by monitoring workflow, labour, and machine utilisation
• Identify and resolve production issues, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies
• Take ownership of Health & Safety across the site, ensuring full compliance with UK legislation
• Promote a strong safety culture through risk assessments, training, and safe working practices
• Ensure products consistently meet quality standards, addressing defects and rework proactively
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to improve output, reduce waste and minimise downtime
• Work closely with purchasing, sales, and senior management to support smooth order fulfilment
• Provide clear reporting and updates on production performance, risks, and improvements

The ideal Production Manager:

• Proven experience within a manufacturing or assembly environment
• Demonstrable experience managing a factory or production team
• Strong knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation and best practice
• Experience conducting risk assessments and managing Health & Safety compliance
• Strong organisational, planning, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to make effective operational decisions under pressure
• Experienced user of IT systems, including warehousing and stock control systems
• NEBOSH, IOSH or similar Health & Safety qualification
• Experience within a similar industry environment
• Exposure to lean manufacturing methodologies, with 5S and/or Six Sigma experience viewed as a significant advantage to support continuous improvement initiatives
• Working knowledge of quality systems such as ISO standards

Working Hours:

• Monday to Thursday 8am-4:30pm 2x tea breaks of 15 minutes (30-minute break unpaid)
• Friday 8am-1pm

Benefits

• Pension scheme – 5% employer contribution
• Life assurance – 2x annual salary
• Holiday allowance – 25 days + 8 Bank Holidays (Christmas shutdown uses 2.5 days annual leave)
• Long service days – an extra day of leave for every 5 years’ service
• Long service awards – every five years
• Sick pay – up to 22 days following successful completion of 6-month probation
• Company bonus – dependent on company profitability
• Full induction and ongoing training
• Workwear provided
• Eye test and contribution towards glasses
• Paid volunteering days

Join Us in Driving Operational Excellence

This is an excellent opportunity to join a respected and growing organisation where production performance, safety and continuous improvement are at the heart of the business. If you are a proactive Production Manager who thrives in a hands-on leadership role and is passionate about building high-performing teams and safe, efficient operations, we would love to hear from you.

Apply today to take the next step in your production management career. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.