Production Manager
Production teams are the lifeblood of any manufacturing organisation, so the role of the production manager is a pivotal role that links the employees on the shop floor and the senior managers and directors on the board. As production manager, you’ll be taking strategic and operational instructions from the board with regard to productivity, and converting them into actions that maximise profits for the company.
As with any managerial role, your day will partly be taken up with technical work – ordering materials, keeping machinery and supply chain operational etc. – but will also be spent dealing with personnel, whether that’s recruitment, motivation and discipline, or planning human resources for projected or seasonal needs. Of course, in larger companies, much of this work can be delegated, but you’ll still be responsible for making sure the goals of the company are met by steering the production department.
Production skills required
Production is a huge subject, covering the entirety of the manufacturing sector, so a production manager in a certain sector will have a very different set of responsibilities to one in another. Experience in a particular sector will therefore stand you in good stead within that industry, thanks to a knowledge of regulations, compliance and technical details too. Production manager jobs are often advertised through sector-specific channels for this reason.
That said, many of the skills of the production manager are transferable, especially in related sectors, so you shouldn’t be put off if an exciting role is advertised in an industry tangential to your current one. Skills such as communication, attention to detail, good planning and speed of learning will always be sought by companies hiring production managers.
Production Manager Jobs in Widnes
At the north-eastern edge of Cheshire lies Widnes, a town of around 60,000 population built on heavy industry, particularly chemicals, where ICI had a huge presence for decades before fragmenting in the 1990s. The chemical industry chose Widnes partly for the plentiful supply of water, just like Runcorn, to which it is joined by a railway and road bridge over the Mersey.
The centre of Liverpool is 11 miles (17 km) to the west, with Liverpool John Lennon Airport just 4 miles (7km) form the centre of Widnes. Although not actually in Widnes, the Jaguar Land rover car production plant is just outside the town in Halewood, and it has been a large employer of people from Widnes. For decades the plant was owned by Ford, and the locals still cal the main boulevard that passes it “The Ford Road”. Under the new management, the factory is doing extremely well, helped by a local enthusiastic workforce.
Widnes has two musical claims to fame, one certain, one apocryphal. First was the Stone Roses’ Spike Island gig, the pinnacle of the Madchester scene in 1990. The second claim is that Paul Simon wrote “Homeward Bound” at Widnes Station, although Simon isn’t 100% sure himself!
Widnes has retained many of its industrial plants, although they are no longer owned by the giant ICI, and have been taken over by a multitude of companies. The well-connected town is handy for Liverpool, Warrington, St Helens and Runcorn, and has the M62 at its northern point. All this makes it a good place to locate any logistics operations, and indeed, Production Manager jobs or similar positions have been through our system in Widnes.
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Production managers and jobs found at Cast UK
At Cast UK, we only deal with professional level candidates, so you know you’re going to find an excellent shortlist when you use us for your recruitment needs. Our consultants use their own recruitment skills as well as our cutting-edge tech and extensive networks to source candidates who tick more of the right boxes for your positions. Call us on 0333 121 3345 to talk recruitment.
If you are an experienced production manager in any industry, there’s a good chance that brilliant companies are looking for your skills right now. Please follow the link below and fill in the registration form below.
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