Job Description

Company Overview:

Wessex Lifts are a domestic lift manufacturer with nearly 50 years of experience in helping our customers achieve mobility in their homes and business with our lift solutions. We are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals through innovation, safety, and quality design. As we continue to develop and grow, we are looking for a motivated and driven individuals to join our dynamic team.

Role Overview:

The purpose of this role is to lead and manage all aspects of production operations, ensuring a safety-first culture while delivering outstanding customer service, quality, and efficiency. The role holder will be accountable for developing a high-performing, flexible, and multi-skilled team, driving continuous improvement through lean principles, automation, and effective performance management. With a focus on achieving operational excellence, the position supports the transformation of the business through complexity reduction, technology adoption, and strategic outsourcing. This role is key in aligning production performance with company objectives, including safety, customer satisfaction, cost reduction, and long-term operational transformation.

Primary responsibilities;

Promote, manage and lead by company values

Lead Health & Safety

Ensure the Production team is committed to Safety first and being customer orientated

People and performance management of people

Improve productivity, delivery performance, operational flexibility and quality

Develop and implement a lean operational system

Lead and manage all operational employees ensuring they are fully trained and equip to fulfill their responsibilities safely, efficiency and effectively

Support continuous efforts to reduce complexity

Monitor Production KPI's regularly and address performance issues / deviations

Seek to remove wastes and improve quality (operational quality)

Support the strategy to outsource non-core capabilities

Introduce automation (such as welding robots)

Support the effective implementation of technology (paperless, live information, etc)

Ensure full compliance with all Health & Safety, Environmental and Legal rules, standards, best practice, etc at all times - while also managing Health & Safety

Secondary responsibilities;

Support Directors, Managers and team members

Support Sales and Operations Planning process

Support property and machine maintenance

Conduct employee performance appraisals & development plans

Support complexity reduction management

Support customer services with customer complaints, support, warranty, etc "customer comes first"

Support the company wide ECO (change management process)

Skills and Experience:

Essential

Proven leadership experience in a production or manufacturing environment

Strong knowledge and practical application of Health & Safety regulations and best practices

Experience in people management, including performance management and team development

Demonstrated ability to drive productivity, quality, and delivery performance improvements

Knowledge and experience with Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement techniques

Ability to interpret and act on production KPIs and performance data

Comfortable leading in a fast-paced, target-driven environment

Desirable

Formal qualification in Engineering, Manufacturing, or Operations Management (e.g., HNC, HND, Degree)

NEBOSH or IOSH certification (Health & Safety)

Experience introducing automation and digital systems into manufacturing processes

Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and paperless production environments

Experience with outsourcing and supplier management

Familiarity with managing ECO (engineering change order) or change management processes

Experience leading site consolidation or factory footprint reduction initiatives

Background in supporting capital equipment maintenance or facilities management

Why Choose Us?

Life Insurance Paid sickness scheme (after qualifying period) Company pension scheme 28 days holiday including bank holidays increasing with length of service Ongoing training and professional development Free Onsite Parking
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 40,000.00-50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Health & wellbeing programme Life insurance On-site parking Referral programme Sick pay
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:

Romsey SO51 0HA: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person