Head of Production

An exciting opportunity to join a growing manufacturing business near Bolton, in a brand new Head of Production role.

A leading manufacturing organisation near Bolton is seeking a Head of Production to oversee and expand its production operations. This pivotal role offers you the opportunity to shape the future of production, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and quality while fostering a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.

With a competitive salary range of £65,000 - £75,000 p/a, performance-related bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package including pension scheme and training opportunities, this position is ideal for someone who thrives in an inclusive environment where your growth and development are actively supported. You will be empowered to drive operational excellence, collaborate across departments, and play a key part in succession planning for senior leadership. If you are passionate about nurturing teams, optimising processes, and making a tangible impact on business outcomes, this is your chance to join an organisation that values your expertise and commitment.

What you'll do:

As Head of Production based in Bolton, you will play a central role in managing all aspects of production operations. Your daily responsibilities will involve orchestrating reliable workflows that meet stringent quality standards while maintaining cost-conscious practices. You will foster an environment where teamwork flourishes, coaching supervisors and team leaders to achieve their best while supporting their professional growth.

• Oversee the day-to-day management of production operations, ensuring smooth workflow and consistent output across all shifts.
• Execute production plans reliably and efficiently by coordinating resources, materials, equipment, and staff to meet customer requirements.
• Monitor production performance metrics such as downtime, waste reduction, labour efficiency, and output quality to ensure targets are met.
• Take proactive corrective action when production targets are not achieved by identifying root causes and implementing sustainable solutions.
• Support the introduction of new products, processes or packaging formats into production by collaborating closely with engineering and quality teams.
• Manage production supervisors, team leaders and shop-floor employees by setting clear expectations for performance, conduct, quality and safety standards.
• Coach and develop team members through skills development initiatives, training programmes and succession planning within the production team.
• Promote teamwork, accountability and a hands-on working culture that encourages collaboration across departments including supply chain and logistics.
• Ensure compliance with internal quality standards as well as customer requirements by reviewing processes regularly for improvement opportunities.
• Participate in operational meetings and performance reviews while sharing best practices with headquarters and other group sites.

What you bring:

The Head of Production role requires you to bring proven experience from similar manufacturing environments, such as FMCG or consumer goods, where you have successfully managed medium to large teams through periods of change. Your interpersonal skills will be crucial as you coach others towards shared goals while maintaining high standards for quality control and safety. You should possess strong organisational capabilities that allow you to juggle multiple priorities efficiently without losing sight of detail. A hands-on approach is essential to ensure you remain visible on the shop-floor, and your clear communication style should help build trust among colleagues at every level. Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles or continuous improvement methodologies will help drive operational excellence throughout the site, and although technical qualifications further strengthen your profile above all it’s your commitment to nurturing teams that sets you apart.

• Several years’ experience in production management within FMCG, consumer goods, chemical products or food manufacturing environments is highly desirable for this role.
• Proven track record leading diverse production teams including supervisors, team leaders and shop-floor employees with empathy and clarity.
• Strong understanding of production planning principles alongside efficiency optimisation strategies, quality control measures, hygiene protocols and safety standards.
• Practical experience improving production processes through collaborative problem-solving techniques that deliver measurable results.
• Excellent organisational skills paired with analytical abilities that enable you to manage complex operations effectively.
• Clear communication style both written and spoken; able to convey information confidently yet considerately across all levels of the organisation.
• Hands-on management approach with visibility on the shop-floor; you demonstrate responsibility by being present where needed most.
• Ability to work under pressure while making sound decisions in demanding environments without compromising on quality or safety.
• Good working knowledge of MS Office applications for reporting purposes; familiarity with SAP or other ERP systems is desirable but not mandatory.

What's next:

If you’re ready to take your career forward in an environment where your expertise makes a difference every day , please apply today by clicking on the link provided below. Alternatively, contact Jon Armstrong at Robert Walters UK.

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