Head Of Manufacturing & Production

• An established Air Systems Engineering Company, specialising in large turnkey projects, is seeking a Head of Manufacturing & Production to join their dynamic team based in Parow, Cape Town.

Qualifications and Experience Required:

• Tertiary qualification (N5 minimum)
• Proven experience in a senior production, manufacturing or factory management role.
• Strong experience in manufacturing and metal fabrication environments.
• Proven experience in production planning, scheduling and capacity management.
• Experience managing complex production environments with multiple projects, competing priorities and deadlines.
• Experience with production management systems, ERP systems or manufacturing software will be advantageous.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and overall management of manufacturing and production operations, including fabrication, machining, assembly and finishing.
• Develop, manage and continuously improve production planning and scheduling to ensure work is prioritised effectively and production targets and customer deadlines are achieved.
• Translate sales requirements into realistic production plans, considering capacity, labour, machinery, materials and lead times.
• Monitor production progress against schedules, identify bottlenecks and delays, and implement corrective action to keep production on track.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives aimed at increasing productivity, improving efficiencies, reducing waste and optimising manufacturing processes.
• Ensure manufacturing processes and outputs meet required quality standards and identify opportunities for ongoing quality improvement.
• Work closely with Engineering, Sales, Procurement and Logistics to ensure effective planning and seamless operational flow.
• Ensure appropriate materials, drawings, labour, machinery and other resources are available to support the production schedule.
• Oversee manufacturing processes and ensure that operational procedures, policies and controls are implemented and maintained.
• Lead, develop and mentor factory managers, supervisors, artisans and production teams, ensuring clear accountability and performance standards.
• Promote effective communication, teamwork, employee engagement and accountability throughout the manufacturing environment.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety requirements and actively promote a strong safety culture.
• Take ownership of production related challenges and provide timely, practical and commercially sound solutions.