Production Director
In companies where directorships are specific to certain roles, the production director is usually in charge of overseeing suppliers and supply chain, factories, warehousing and delivery of products to customers. In other words, it is directing the core part of the business, the part that makes the money, and as such only it goes to the most talented and experienced individuals.
The workforce will be under your direction, as they are instrumental in making sure products are made and delivered. Keeping the workforce operating optimally is within your remit, so you’ll be overseeing hiring and choosing managers down the echelons, or overseeing the process of recruitment.
The actual processes that turn components or raw materials into sellable products will be your main area of concern, however. You’ll be in charge of production related machinery and properties, including maintenance and repair. Of course, at this level, much of the hands-on work will be delegated but you’ll still need an intimate understanding of how production works in the company.
The skills required
Since all production processes are different, so are all production director jobs. The processes you’ve overseen in the past will certainly be useful for your next role, but you’re going to have to hit the ground running and learn whole new processes and possibly supply chains very quickly so you can start to make them run efficiently. You might even be directing the installation of new production processes, but the same applies.
You’ll be reporting to the board, taking instructions from and influencing its decisions. Good communication skills are the only way you can achieve this blend of responsibilities. You’ll also have a good grasp of finances, and how your decisions affect the efficiency and profitability of the company.
Production Director Jobs in Barnsley
Barnsley is a town of about 75,000 population in South Yorkshire. Roughly speaking it would be the centre point of a circle that passed though Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster and Huddersfield, each of which is about 14 miles (25 km) away. To its south west is the beautiful Peak District National Park. Barnsley is served by the M1 running north-south, as well as the Sheffield to Leeds railway.
Barnsley was originally a market town and also traveller’s rest location for people moving to and from Leeds and Sheffield, but the discovery of coal and the Industrial Revolution turned it into a powerhouse of productivity. The Barnsley Canal was completed at the start of the nineteenth century, and although it was closed in the mid-20th century (partly due to subsidence from mining, ironically), there is a campaign to get it fixed, dredged and reopened for recreation. Much of the heavy industry has now gone, although one of its specialisms, glassmaking, remains active. A glassblower and a miner appear on Barnsley’s coat of arms.
The town has given us a number of famous people, particularly in sport. Cricket without Dickie Bird and Darren Gough would not be quite the same, and football was made a little more colourful by Mick McCarthey. Perhaps the most famous child of Barnsley, though, is chat show host to the stars of the 70s and 80s, Michael Parkinson.
While Barnsley’s industrial base is a shadow of its former self, it is still possible to find Production Director positions in the town. It has a sizeable population and serves a wide area, with no other major settlements closer than the cities of Sheffield and Leeds.
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Production director jobs at Cast UK
If your business is looking for a director of production, you have found the ideal recruitment partner in Cast UK. Because we only recruit professional level roles, we are focused on delivering the calibre of director you’re looking for from our extensive industry networks and advert respondents. Drawing on our expertise and knowledge in our business sectors, we can rapidly put together experienced and motivated candidate shortlists. Call us on 0333 121 3345 to speak with one of our consultants today.
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