Production Manager

We are looking for a Production Manager to join our team in Bella Vista, Sydney.

Reporting to the Senior Production Manager, the Production Manager is responsible for the overall operational performance of assigned manufacturing areas. The role provides leadership across production operations to achieve business objectives in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People.

The Production Manager develops and executes operational plans, leads frontline leadership teams, drives operational excellence, and partners with Engineering, Quality, planning and Maintenance to improve manufacturing capability, productivity and customer service. The role has full accountability for the performance of the assigned manufacturing departments and plays a key role in implementing the manufacturing strategy established by the Senior Production Manager.

Let's talk about Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

Lead the overall performance of assigned manufacturing departments to achieve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People objectives.

Translate business priorities into operational execution plans and ensure successful delivery.

Own departmental KPIs and implement improvement plans to achieve performance targets.

Ensure production capacity, labour, equipment and resources are effectively aligned with customer demand.

Lead operational decision-making to balance safety, quality, service and cost.

Manufacturing Excellence

Drive improvements in productivity, OEE, throughput, labour efficiency and manufacturing cost.

Identify operational constraints and develop sustainable solutions to improve manufacturing performance.

Lead departmental continuous improvement roadmaps using Lean Manufacturing, problem-solving methodologies and business excellence tools.

Support the implementation of automation, process optimisation and new manufacturing technologies.

Drive operational standardisation across production areas.

Leadership & People Development

Lead and develop Supervisors and Team Leaders to build a high-performing leadership team.

Establish clear performance expectations and accountability across all levels of the organisation.

Develop succession plans and identify future leadership talent.

Foster an inclusive, engaged and high-performance culture aligned with company values.

Lead change management initiatives within the manufacturing teams.

Cross Functional Leadership

Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Planning, Warehouse and Supply Chain to optimise manufacturing performance.

Lead cross-functional problem-solving for significant operational challenges.

Support New Product Introduction (NPI), process validation and production transfers.

Represent Manufacturing in cross-functional business projects and improvement initiatives.

Financial & Resource Management

Manage departmental operating expenditure and labour costs within approved budgets.

Drive productivity improvements and cost reduction initiatives. • Optimise workforce planning and resource utilisation to meet changing business requirements.

Contribute to annual budget planning, forecasting and operational planning.

Safety & Quality Leadership

Champion a proactive safety culture through visible leadership and accountability.

Ensure compliance with all regulatory, quality and safety requirements.

Lead investigations into significant safety and quality events and ensure effective corrective actions.

Drive continuous improvement in safety performance and product quality.

Performance Management

Review operational performance using data and analytics to identify trends and opportunities.

Develop recovery plans where operational performance is below target.

Communicate business priorities and operational performance to production leadership teams.

Ensure effective execution of departmental objectives through regular performance reviews.

Let's talk about Qualifications and Experience:

Required

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing or related discipline.

Minimum 5 years' manufacturing leadership experience.

Demonstrated experience managing multiple production teams through leaders. • Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and operational excellence.

Experience in highly automated manufacturing environments.

Proven leadership and change management capability.

Strong financial and commercial awareness.

Preferred

Medical device, pharmaceutical or other regulated manufacturing experience.

Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.

Experience leading organisational improvement and transformation initiatives.