Production Team Leader

Job Description:

As a Production Team Leader, you will lead a team within a fast-paced manufacturing environment, ensuring production targets, quality standards, and health & safety requirements are consistently achieved.

You will drive operational performance, develop team capability, and work collaboratively across Production, Quality, Engineering, HR, and Supply Chain to deliver business objectives.

The Role:

• Lead and coordinate daily production activities, allocating labour and resources to maximise efficiency and achieve production targets.

• Monitor production schedules, work-in-progress (WIP), and material flow to ensure on-time delivery and minimise operational bottlenecks.

• Support daily production planning, readiness, and shift handovers, communicating risks, issues, and performance against plan.

• Drive continuous improvement by resolving production challenges, supporting New Product Introduction (NPI), and improving manufacturing processes.

• Ensure compliance with quality standards through adherence to work instructions, investigation of non-conformances, and support of quality improvement activities.

• Lead, coach, and develop team members through training, performance reviews, probation management, and regular one-to-one meetings.

• Manage workforce planning, including attendance, absence, overtime, return-to-work processes, and shift compliance.

• Support recruitment, employee relations, and disciplinary processes while promoting a positive and inclusive working environment.

• Champion Health & Safety by investigating incidents, maintaining 5S standards, and ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support operational excellence, resource planning, and continuous business improvement.

• Consider the health and safety, environmental and energy impact of all activities.

• Support the Company’s compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 by following company policy and best practice.

Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience in a production & manufacturing leadership role.

• Experience of CNC machining, with knowledge of milling, turning and/or grinding desirable.

• Experience in resource planning & operational management.

• Demonstratable team leadership skills, including coaching & performance management.

• A good understanding of Lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement & problem solving techniques.

• A strong understand of quality, health & safety compliance within a manufacturing environment.

• Excellent communication & interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and collaborate across functions.