Manufacturing Manager

An exciting opportunity near Preston for a Manufacturing Manager who is experienced with CI and Lean initiative implementation, joining a business keen to grow and develop their manufacturing and production teams.

Manufacturing Manager

Location: Preston

A well-known and growing plastics manufacturing business with an enviable reputation in their sector is looking to recruit a Manufacturing Manager, based on-site at their facility near Preston. This position will offer a competitive starting salary, alongside an annual bonus scheme and additional benefits. If you are passionate about improving processes, nurturing teams, and contributing to a supportive workplace culture, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a growing and profitable business.

What you'll do:

As Manufacturing Manager, you’ll report directly to the Operations Director and take full responsibility for growing and upskilling a team of 30+ engineers and operatives, ensures that production targets, quality standards, and continuous improvement initiatives are achieved, whilst maintaining high levels of safety, equipment reliability, and workforce engagement. Key responsibilities will include:

• Manage daily manufacturing operations across multiple lines to meet production schedules and customer demand, while optimising line scheduling, changeovers and TPM to maximise throughput
• Ensure production targets, OEE, scrap reduction, and downtime objectives are achieved and where possible improved upon
• Oversee RCCA for all identified defects and non-conformances, implementing 5S, SMED, and process standardisation
• Lead Lean Manufacturing & CI initiatives, working with engineers to implement improvements to cycle times, scrap rates, and product consistency
• Coordinate with planning/supply team to ensure raw material availability & machine utilisation
• Work closely with Quality to ensure compliance with customer quality standards
• Maintain a strong safety culture across all teams, ensuring compliance with HSE regulations and internal safety procedures
• Liaise with SLT and other key stakeholders to control and track budgets and labour costs

What you bring:

To be considered for this position, you’ll need a strong background in Manufacturing / Production Management that is results-driven with a continuous improvement mindset, ideally in a fast-paced manufacturing environment or with exposure to plastic / polymer related processes. A key focus for this business is the growth and development of the existing teams, so you’ll need to be able to demonstrate strong leadership and decision-making skills, as well as an effective approach to team development and communication.

Although a Six Sigma qualification is ideal rather than essential, your application should also display knowledge and implementation of Continuous Improvement and Lean activities in a manufacturing environment, with the IT skills necessary to record, view and interpret data to aid improvements and report back to senior leadership with ideas and initiatives of your own. Similarly, an appreciation of HSE regulations and standards in a production setting is needed however the company do not require any formal IOSH / NEBOSH qualifications.

What's next:

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career journey as Manufacturing Manager within a company with a globally recognised and respected brand, please apply using the link provided. Alternatively, reach out to Jon Armstrong at Robert Walters via LinkedIn or email.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates