Workshop Production Manager
6 days ago
Newcastle upon Tyne
Job Title: Workshop Production Manager\n\nLocation: Newcastle Upon Tyne\n\nSalary: £80,000 OTE\n\nReports to: Managing Director\n\nCompany: Specialist Vehicle Manufacturer\n\nDirect Reports: Workshop Supervisors, Team Leaders, and up to 35 Industrial Engineers\n\nContract: Full‑time, Permanent - Monday to Friday - 7.00am-4.00pm\n\nRole Overview\n\nThe Workshop Production Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient, and compliant delivery of production operations within a specialist vehicle manufacturing environment. The role provides overall leadership of workshop activities, ensuring vehicles are manufactured to specification, on time, and in full compliance with homologation and industry safety standards.\n\nThe postholder will lead and manage a team of approximately 35 industrial engineers, covering fabrication, assembly, and production support functions. Using industrial engineering principles, the Workshop Production Manager will drive productivity, efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement, while maintaining the highest standards of health and safety.\n\nKey Responsibilities\n\nWorkshop & Production Management\n\n Lead the day‑to‑day operation of the manufacturing workshop, ensuring production targets, quality standards, and delivery deadlines are met\n\n Translate production plans into clear daily and weekly schedules for fabrication and assembly teams\n\n Monitor workflow, identify constraints, and implement corrective actions to maintain throughput\n\n Ensure effective utilisation of labour, materials, equipment, and space\n\n Drive a culture of accountability, discipline, and operational excellence\n\nManagement & Leadership of Industrial Engineering Team\n\n Provide direct leadership and management of a team of approximately 35 industrial engineers\n\n Set clear objectives, performance expectations, and accountability aligned to business and production goals\n\n Allocate workloads, balance capacity, and ensure resources are deployed effectively\n\n Conduct regular one‑to‑ones, performance reviews, and annual appraisals\n\n Identify skills gaps and ensure appropriate training, certification, and development plans are in place\n\n Build and sustain a high‑performing team culture focused on quality, safety, and continuous improvement\n\nSafety Leadership & Compliance\n\n Act as a visible and proactive safety leader across the workshop and engineering teams\n\n Ensure full compliance with HSE legislation, company policies, and safe systems of work\n\n Oversee risk assessments, method statements, and safe operating procedures for engineering and fabrication activities\n\n Promote a strong safety culture through toolbox talks, training, and behavioural safety initiatives\n\n Investigate incidents and near misses, ensuring root causes are identified and corrective actions implemented\n\n Ensure all machinery, tools, and fabrication processes are operated safely and compliant with regulations\n\nIndustrial Engineering & Process Optimisation\n\n Apply industrial engineering principles to optimise workflows, layouts, and production processes\n\n Define, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions\n\n Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and increase repeatability\n\n Conduct time studies, capacity planning, and process reviews\n\n Support new product introductions and changes to build processes\n\nSheet Metal Fabrication & Vehicle Assembly\n\nOversee all sheet metal fabrication activities, including cutting, forming, bending, welding, and finishing\n\nEnsure fabrication and assembly activities meet engineering drawings, tolerances, and quality standards\n\nCoordinate fabrication, sub‑assembly, and final vehicle build operations\n\nWork closely with engineering and design teams to resolve build issues and improve manufacturability\n\nQuality, Compliance & Homologation\n\nEnsure all vehicles manufactured are compliant with relevant industry safety standards and homologation requirements\n\nSupport preparation of technical documentation, build records, and evidence packs for regulatory approval\n\nLiaise with quality, engineering, and external authorities during audits, inspections, and certification activities\n\nEnsure non‑conformances are addressed promptly and corrective actions verified\n\nMaintain full traceability and production records to support compliance and quality assurance\n\nProductivity, Efficiency & Performance Management\n\nDrive productivity and efficiency across the workshop using data‑driven decision making\n\nMonitor and report on KPIs including output, labour efficiency, quality, downtime, rework, and safety performance\n\nBalance cost, quality, delivery, and safety to achieve optimal production performance\n\nReport regularly to senior management on production status, risks, and improvement actions\n\nMaterials, Equipment & Cross‑Functional Coordination\n\nCoordinate with procurement and planning teams to ensure material availability aligns with production schedules\n\nManage workshop equipment maintenance and support capital investment decisions\n\nWork closely with operations, quality, engineering, and compliance teams to deliver integrated manufacturing outcomes\n\nRequirements\n\nSkills, Experience & Qualifications\n\nEssential Experience\n\n Proven experience as a Workshop Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, or equivalent in a vehicle, engineering, or fabrication environment\n\n Demonstrable experience leading large industrial engineering or production teams (30+ employees)\n\n Strong background in specialist or low‑volume vehicle manufacturing or major accident repair\n\n Hands‑on experience with sheet metal fabrication processes\n\n Solid understanding of industrial engineering principles\n\n Experience supporting homologation and compliance to vehicle safety standards\n\n * Track record of driving productivity, safety, and continuous improvement in a regulated environment\n\nEssential Skills & Knowledge\n\nStrong leadership, people management, and decision‑making skills\n\nExcellent planning, scheduling, and problem‑solving abilities\n\nAbility to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications\n\nStrong working knowledge of UK/EU HSE and vehicle safety regulations\n\nData‑driven approach with experience using KPIs to drive performance\n\nConfident communicator across engineering, production, and senior leadership teams\n\nDesirable Qualifications\n\nDegree or HNC/HND in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering\n\nLean Manufacturing / Six Sigma qualification\n\nIOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification\n\nExperience working within ISO 9001 or similar quality management systems\n\nKey Performance Indicators (KPIs)\n\nProduction output versus plan\n\nLabour efficiency and productivity\n\nQuality and first‑time‑right build performance\n\nHomologation and audit success\n\nHealth & Safety performance metrics\n\nContinuous improvement and waste reduction outcomes\n\nBenefits\n\n£80,000 OTE\n\nHours 7am to 4pm Mon-Fri\n\nCompany Pension\n\nHoliday allowance\n\nTo apply for this role please submit your full and up to date CV to Nigel McMinn at Pybus Recruitment