Kitchen Manufacturing Operations Manager

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on Kitchen Manufacturing Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of our kitchen manufacturing facility.

You will be responsible for ensuring the factory operates safely, efficiently and profitably, delivering high-quality kitchens on time and to specification. You will lead the production team, manage workflow and capacity, drive continuous improvement, and work closely with Design, Sales, Procurement, Installation and senior management.

This is a key leadership position for someone who understands bespoke or semi-bespoke kitchen manufacturing, has strong production management experience, and enjoys working in a fast-paced, commercially focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Operations

Take overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the manufacturing operation.

Plan and manage production schedules to meet customer delivery deadlines.

Ensure manufacturing jobs move efficiently through cutting, machining, edging, assembly, finishing and dispatch.

Monitor production capacity, workload and labour requirements.

Identify and resolve production bottlenecks and delays.

Ensure materials, components and information are available when required.

Coordinate production with installation and delivery schedules.

Establish and maintain efficient manufacturing processes and standards.

People Management

Lead, manage and develop the production and factory teams.

Set clear expectations around productivity, quality, attendance and conduct.

Manage staff performance, training and development.

Identify skills gaps and implement appropriate training.

Build a positive, accountable and collaborative factory culture.

Manage recruitment and onboarding of manufacturing personnel where required.

Conduct regular team meetings and performance reviews.

Quality Control

Maintain consistently high manufacturing standards.

Implement robust quality-control procedures throughout the production process.

Investigate defects, rework and customer complaints and implement corrective actions.

Reduce waste, errors and repeat production.

Ensure finished products meet drawings, specifications and company standards before dispatch.

Health & Safety

Take responsibility for maintaining a safe manufacturing environment.

Ensure employees follow company health and safety procedures.

Maintain appropriate machine, workshop and PPE standards.

Ensure relevant risk assessments, COSHH requirements and workplace procedures are followed.

Report and investigate accidents, near misses and safety concerns.

Work with external advisers or management where necessary to maintain compliance.

Stock, Materials & Procurement

Monitor material usage and stock levels.

Work closely with Procurement to ensure materials and components are available for production.

Identify opportunities to reduce material waste and purchasing costs.

Help maintain accurate stock records.

Ensure materials are stored safely, efficiently and appropriately.

Cost & Commercial Management

Monitor manufacturing costs, labour efficiency and material usage.

Identify opportunities to improve productivity and reduce unnecessary costs.

Monitor overtime, agency labour and other operational expenditure.

Support management with production budgets and forecasting.

Ensure manufacturing processes are commercially viable while maintaining quality.

Continuous Improvement

Review existing manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for improvement.

Introduce lean manufacturing principles and practical process improvements where appropriate.

Improve workflow, factory layout, production planning and utilisation of machinery.

Introduce meaningful KPIs to measure operational performance.

Use production data to identify trends, problems and opportunities.

Encourage a culture of continuous improvement across the factory.

Systems & Administration

Maintain accurate production records and operational documentation.

Ensure manufacturing information and drawings are communicated effectively to the factory.

Work with management to improve production planning and ERP/MRP systems where applicable.

Produce regular reports covering productivity, quality, delivery performance and operational issues.

Key Performance Indicators

The successful candidate will be expected to monitor and improve performance across areas including:

• On-time production and delivery
• Production output and efficiency
• Labour utilisation
• Manufacturing costs
• Waste and material usage
• Rework and defect rates
• Customer complaints
• Health & safety performance
• Staff attendance and productivity
• Factory capacity and utilisation
• About You
• You will be an experienced Manufacturing / Production / Operations Manager, ideally with experience in kitchen, furniture, joinery, cabinetry or another related manufacturing environment.
• You will be:
• An experienced people leader with the ability to motivate and manage a production team.
• Highly organised with strong production-planning skills.
• Commercially aware and comfortable working with costs and budgets.
• Practical and hands-on, with the ability to get involved on the factory floor.
• Confident making decisions and resolving operational problems.
• Quality-focused with excellent attention to detail.
• Comfortable working to deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Experienced in implementing process improvements.
• Strong in communication and able to work effectively across different departments.
• Proactive, accountable and solutions focused.
• Essential Experience
• Previous management experience within a kitchen manufacturing or production environment.
• Experience managing production teams and manufacturing workflows.
• Strong understanding of production planning and scheduling.
• Experience with quality control and continuous improvement.
• Good understanding of health and safety within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience monitoring productivity, costs and operational performance.
• Desirable Experience
• Kitchen, furniture, cabinetry or joinery manufacturing experience.
• Experience with CNC machinery and modern manufacturing processes.
• Experience using ERP/MRP or production-management software.
• Lean manufacturing or continuous-improvement experience.
• Experience working with bespoke or made-to-order products.
• Relevant manufacturing or management qualification.
• Benefits
• 25 days holiday plus bank holiday
• Birthday day off (Paid)
• Pension
• Medicare
• Death in service
• Parking on site
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• If you are interested in this opportunity please apply on line of which our recruitment team will be in touch to discuss further.
• Pay: £70,000.00-£80,000.00 per year

Benefits

On-site parking

Experience

Operations Manager : 4 years (preferred)

Kitchens : 4 years (preferred)

Managed teams : 3 years (preferred)

Licence/Certification

* Driving Licence (preferred)

Work Location: In person