Job Description

We're looking for an experienced Trim & Fit Section Lead to join our production team in Ilkeston. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for overseeing trimming, fitting, bonding and assembly operations of composite components, ensuring the highest standards of safety, quality and on-time delivery. Reporting to the Production Manager, you'll lead and develop a team of Fit & Trim Operators, drive continuous improvement, reduce rework and scrap, and support smooth production flow across departments.

Role Responsibilities:

- Ensure that all work is carried out in a safe manner with full adherence to company safety requirements.

- Manage, motivate and lead the Fitting team ensuring that work is completed in a timely fashion with a 'right first-time mentality', supervising, mentoring and guiding team members to ensure workmanship is consistently of the highest standard and productivity targets are achieved or exceeded. Development of direct reports, escalating any issues to the Production Manager.

- Allocation of workload and ensuring timely feedback to the Production Manager in relation to identifying/rectifying potential issues as necessary.

- Ensure all concerned within the Fitting team are aware of the targets and their importance, with the ability to explain the consequences of non-achievement.

- Employ lean manufacturing techniques to achieve productivity and efficiency targets.
- Understand and follow all applicable ACPS' and follow to maintain consistency and ensure compliance with specifications.

- Collaborate with the Production Manager to develop and implement work schedules, ensuring timely completion of production orders and adherence to quality standards.

- Oversee and review time and attendance of direct reports by maintaining appropriate levels of attendance within the team, through the management of holiday and other absence requests.

- Encourage positive relationships between shifts and interfacing departments.

- Collaborate with HR to ensure skills are developed by the scheduling and planning of effective training.

- Conduct team briefings and toolbox talks informing team members of health and safety issues, work schedules, team performance and local standards.

- Review engineering drawings and specifications to understand component assembly requirements ensuring correct fitting techniques are used and advise on equipment needs.

- Oversee the fitting and assembly of components/tools, ensuring adherence to safety, drawing and/or specification requirements. Contributing to the team effort by assisting on the shop floor as and when workload or priorities dictate.

- Oversee the de-moulding of components and tools, ensuring items are de-moulded in a safe manner and mould tools/tool assemblies (and relevant fasteners) are returned for use clean, released and in full.

- Collaborate with the Quality and Engineering team to resolve quality issues, conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions.

- Conduct visual inspections to verify and/or identify any defects or imperfections as they arise, investigate with Head of Quality ensuring action is taken as appropriate to ensure containment and resolution is achieved.

- Collaborate with the Production Manager and other departments regarding the manufacturing process to ensure delivery or targeted KPI's.

- Ensure the highest possible levels of Health and Safety and Housekeeping standards are maintained to a high standard and in line with legislative, quality and good working practices. Maintain a clean and organised work area, including proper storage and handling of materials and tools.

- Take an active role in Safety Audits and resolve where possible or report/recommend any corrective actions to Production Manager.

- Support Safety initiatives and lead team in achieving/exceeding Health and Safety targets.

- Report all incidents, hazards, near misses to minimise/eliminate the risk of potential further incidents occurring.

- Ensure completion of regular risk assessments are carried out and archived correctly.

- Responsible for accident, hazards, near misses reporting and assisting in investigation and for seeking proactive solutions to issues and reductions in incident levels to minimise/eliminate the risk of potential further incidents occurring.

- Carry out regular meetings with the Fitting team members regarding performance expectations, standards, attendance, etc.

- Deliver communication briefings ensuring awareness of Company and local issues.

- In conjunction with the Production Manager, identify and implement additional training as necessary.

- Conduct appraisals, 121 reviews, toolbox talks, briefings, etc., in accordance with Company policy and highlighting any training needs for the Fitting team.

- Managing Discipline, Grievance and sickness absence of team members in accordance with Company policy and supported by HR.

- To actively improve your own knowledge, skills and experience to increase your contribution to the Fitting and Production Team and Company success.

- Document and maintain accurate records of Trim and Fit activities, including any issues or deviations expected.

- To undertake any other duties as reasonably expected.

Skills & Experience:

Proven experience within a Trim and Fit department. Advanced understanding of trim and fit within the Composite industry. Experience with the bonding, assembly, fitting and trimming of Motorsport, Automotive, Aerospace parts. A positive attitude and willingness to learn new areas. Working knowledge of air tools. Excellent communicator, influencing and interpersonal skills, able to communicate and interact at all levels and lead by example Strong Leader who can set direction others to follow. Ability to make balanced decisions in a variety of challenging situations. Enthusiastic, results orientated, self-motivated individual with a 'can-do attitude'. Trimming and Fitting of prepreg materials training/experience/qualification. Experience of People Management.
If you're passionate about quality, safety and team leadership within composite manufacturing, we'd love to hear from you.

Due to the high volume of applications, if you have not heard from us within one month of the vacancy closing, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

No agencies please.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

Company pension Free parking Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking
Work Location: In person