Head of Manufacturing

Head of Manufacturing Birkenhead, Wirral | Permanent, Full-Time Are you a hands-on manufacturing leader ready to take charge of a dynamic, growing plant? This is a pivotal, hands-on leadership role reporting directly to the Managing Director. You'll take ownership of day-to-day plant operations, driving productivity, quality, safety and continuous improvement while leading a diverse team of permanent and agency staff. What You'll Be Doing * Providing visionary, hands-on leadership across all plant operations * Delivering sustained improvements in productivity, quality and efficiency against business KPIs * Leading, motivating and developing a diverse workforce of permanent and agency operators * Working cross-functionally with engineering, quality, technical and finance teams * Championing Lean Six Sigma and embedding a culture of continuous improvement * Managing HR processes including appraisals, capability reviews and disciplinary/grievance matters * Upholding rigorous health, safety and environmental standards * Managing operational budgets and addressing variances proactively * Partnering with engineering on process improvement and capital projects * Balancing competing priorities to maximise machine utilisation and output What We're Looking For * A proven track record in operations management within manufacturing * A strong engineering background — Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical * Demonstrated leadership of both permanent and agency teams * Hands-on experience applying Lean Six Sigma to drive real, measurable results * Solid experience managing HR-related processes * Excellent communication and decision-making skills, with the ability to influence at all levels * Previous experience as part of a Senior Leadership Team