Interim Production Manager

The Interim Production Manager role is a challenging position that involves taking responsibility for all aspects of production, including managing, motivating, and developing a team of up to 50 staff involved in the manufacturing process from raw materials to finished product, with a focus on safety, quality, cost, and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Take full accountability for day‑to‑day production operations, ensuring output, quality, cost, and delivery targets are consistently achieved
• Lead, motivate, and develop production teams (c50, 4 direct reports), including supervisors and operators, to create a positive, performance‑driven culture
• Plan and manage production schedules to meet customer demand while maximising efficiency and utilisation of labour and equipment
• Ensure strict compliance with health, safety, and environmental requirements, embedding a strong safety culture across all shifts
• Monitor and analyse production KPIs, identifying issues, trends, and improvement opportunities, and implementing effective corrective actions
• Work closely with engineering and maintenance teams to maximise equipment reliability, minimise downtime, and support preventative maintenance programmes
• Collaborate with planning, supply chain, and procurement teams to ensure materials availability and smooth production flow
• Own production quality standards, working with quality teams to resolve non‑conformances and prevent repeat issues
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including lean manufacturing, waste reduction, process optimisation, and cost‑saving projects
• Manage staffing levels, shift patterns, training, and skills development to meet current and future business requirements
• Support new product introductions, trials, and process changes, ensuring a smooth transition from development into production
• Prepare and present clear production reports, performance updates, and improvement plans to senior management

Qualifications

• Results orientated with a real desire to improve performance through a proactive and positive approach to management
• Ambitious with a competitive edge and the capacity to bring the team along through a natural ability to inspire
• Degree qualified in engineering, operations, or business
• Proven experience of managing teams, ideally in a world‑class manufacturing environment
• Experience of implementing continuous improvement and lean manufacturing practices is essential
• Experience of utilising six sigma techniques
• Track record of seeking and finding efficiency and cost improvements
• Experience of using OEE for measurement and the basis of improvement
• Bottom‑line focus and the ability to communicate the importance of cost to the team
• Plan and allocate resources effectively, including staffing contingency planning, succession management, and training
• Conduct annual appraisals
• Excellent professional communication skills, both written and verbal
• Manage waste, downtime, and performance data, ensuring accurate reporting across OEE, efficiency, product weights, and labour usage to support better decisions and performance insights
• Available to start a new role immediately or on short notice

Job Offer

• Competitive salary between £45,000 and £60,000 depending on experience
• Opportunity to contribute to a well‑respected company in the industrial/manufacturing industry
• Fixed‑term contract for six months initially with an immediate start
• Potential for professional growth in the engineering and manufacturing department

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