Job Description

Production Manager (Day Shift)

Location: Johannesburg
Employment Type: Permanent
Industry: Manufacturing

An established manufacturing organisation is seeking a highly experienced Production Manager to take responsibility for the effective management and continuous improvement of its First Floor production operations.

The successful candidate will provide strong operational and technical leadership across the manufacturing function, ensuring production targets are achieved while maintaining high standards across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People (SQDCP)

This position requires a hands-on manufacturing leader with extensive production management experience who can optimise processes, improve productivity, manage people effectively and use operational data to drive sustainable improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Production Management

• Oversee day-to-day production operations.
• Ensure production plans and output targets are consistently achieved.
• Manage production schedules, workflows and resource allocation.
• Ensure production SOPs are reviewed, implemented and correctly followed.
• Set and monitor daily performance targets.
• Identify bottlenecks and production constraints and implement corrective action.
• Manage production non-conformances.
• Ensure raw materials are available to support production requirements.
• Optimise manufacturing capacity and resource utilisation.

Quality Management

• Lead and support continuous improvement of the Quality Management System.
• Ensure manufacturing processes consistently deliver products that meet required specifications and quality standards.
• Monitor and analyse quality performance indicators.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Drive reductions in rejects and rework.
• Support internal quality audits and ensure findings are addressed.
• Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Procurement, Logistics and other stakeholders to resolve quality and operational challenges.
• Develop a strong quality-conscious culture within the production team.

People Management

• Lead, develop and manage production teams.
• Provide operational and technical support to Production Supervisors and Team Leaders.
• Manage employee performance and productivity.
• Drive improvements in absenteeism.
• Manage overtime and staff costs.
• Ensure optimal staff utilisation.
• Address underperformance appropriately.
• Ensure effective communication across production teams.
• Maintain compliance with company policies and procedures.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead Lean Manufacturing and value-stream improvement initiatives.
• Identify and eliminate waste within manufacturing processes.
• Improve process capability, productivity and operational efficiency.
• Monitor key manufacturing performance indicators.
• Implement visual management systems and operational dashboards.
• Drive cost reductions through improved labour productivity and material optimisation.
• Lead continuous improvement and productivity projects.
• Benchmark manufacturing performance and identify opportunities to improve competitiveness.
• Encourage innovation and employee involvement in process improvement.

Production Reporting

• Monitor daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly production performance.
• Report actual production performance against planned output.
• Analyse production and quality data.
• Use operational insights and performance trends to drive continuous improvement.

Health & Safety

• Maintain high standards of housekeeping throughout the production environment.
• Ensure employees comply with PPE and safety requirements.
• Identify and correct unsafe conditions and behaviour.
• Ensure machinery safety requirements are maintained.
• Promote and actively drive a strong safety culture.

Minimum Requirements

• NQF Level 7 qualification in Industrial Engineering or Operations Management.
• 10–15 years' production management experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years' managerial experience.
• Strong production planning and manufacturing operations experience.
• Demonstrated Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement exposure.
• Strong technical, analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Strong leadership and people-management capability.
• Good understanding of maintenance planning.
• Sound understanding of Health & Safety requirements.
• Sound understanding of the South African labour framework.
• Competent in Microsoft Office applications.

Advantageous

• Management Development Programme certification.
• Syspro experience.
• Experience implementing visual management systems and production dashboards.
• Demonstrated experience delivering measurable productivity and cost improvements.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a highly visible, hands-on production leader who enjoys being on the manufacturing floor and understands how to translate production plans into measurable results.

You should be comfortable leading through Supervisors and Team Leaders, working cross-functionally with Maintenance, Quality, Procurement and Logistics, and identifying opportunities to improve productivity, quality, cost and manufacturing efficiency.

This opportunity will suit a Production Manager who combines strong people leadership with technical manufacturing knowledge and a continuous improvement mindset