Job Description

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Overall Purpose of Job


This is a pivotal and hands-on role combining deep technical expertise in composite and polymer painting processes with a strong focus on people development and performance improvement. The Training and Development Supervisor will be responsible for ensuring all production staff in the Prep, Paint and Polish departments consistently meet the high-quality standards and efficiency KPIs required for our customer base. You will serve as the technical authority for process adherence and act as a key stakeholder for continuous improvement projects.


Responsibilities


Performance Management and Coaching

KPI Monitoring and intervention: Proactively monitor and analyse team and individual performance against key departmental metrics (Scrap %, RFT %, Job efficiency % and Labour utilisation %) Coaching and mentoring: Provide on-the-floor, one-to-one coaching and mentoring to team members in Prep, Polish and Paint to address performance and skills gaps, and reinforce best practices. Performance Improvement Plans (PIP): Implement and manage formal performance improvement programmes, including creating, executing and monitoring performance plans (PIPs) for underperforming staff, working through to desired outcomes or disciplinary conclusions.

Root Cause Analysis: Conduct thorough investigation and root cause analysis of quality defects (e.g. high scrap/reject rates) and efficiency losses, directly linking technical issues to training and process knowledge gaps.


Recruitment, onboarding and assessment

Trade Testing: Design, conduct and assess technical trade tests for potential recruits in prep, paint and polish disciplines to validate the claimed skill level during the hiring process. New starter onboarding: Manage the technical onboarding process for new starters, ensuring they receive the comprehensive initial training on processes, safety and quality standards Probationary Assessments: Lead and conduct objective, structured probationary period assessments for new hires, providing detailed feedback and making recommendations on the suitability and final confirmation of their employment.

Training and Development

Skills Gap analysis: Regularly assess the technical competency of all departmental staff against defined process standards. Curriculum Development: Design, develop and deliver targeted, practical training modules for all three core disciplines:

+ Prep: Focus on defect repair, spotting and removing distortions, split line removal, preserving part geometry and surface preparation
+ Painting: 2k paint applications, part preparation, achieving desired film builds, avoiding inclusions and paint runs and repairing reworks.
+ Polishing: Focus on identifying and removing defects, achieving target gloss levels
Process Certification: manage a system, skills matrix or otherwise, for certifying and re-certifying operators in critical processes

Process Adherence and Continuous improvement

Standard Work confirmation: Conduct regular, objective audits to confirm team members are following all defined process specifications (SOPs) in all disciplines. Process optimisation: Actively support and explore opportunities, together with the Technical Paint Specialist, with trials of opportunities to improve existing processes, materials or tooling to reduce quality defects, enhance throughput and lower costs, as well as proactively review system data for accuracy.

Quality System: Work closely with the Quality control department to ensure process documents reflect customer and internal standards.


Competencies

Technical Expertise (essential): Deep, demonstrable practical experience with applying 2K spray painting systems to polymer and composite substrates, ideally within the automotive or aerospace manufacturing sector. Process knowledge (essential): Expert-level understanding of preparation techniques (fillers, sanding, geometry), technical paint application (mixing, gun setup, film build, adhesion) and advanced defect removal techniques. Strong ability to lead, influence and motivate a skilled production workforce while maintain professional standards and enforcing discipline. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and interact with people at all levels Ability to prioritise and track own workload and work under direction


Experience

Performance Management: experience in formal performance management, including managing PIPs and driving quantifiable performance improvements Training and Coaching: Proven track record in developing and delivering engaging, effective on-the-job training and coaching programmes to adult learners in a production environment. Manufacturing Experience: experience in working within a demanding, high-pace, quick turn-around automotive or aerospace manufacturing environment desirable * Assessment and recruitment: Experience designing and executing hands-on trades tests and conducting structured performance assessments