Production Manager

Job Description

About this opportunity

Location - Altona North

We are seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead our manufacturing operations and drive performance across safety, quality, cost, and output. You will play a critical role in building a strong operational culture, leading teams, and ensuring that production targets are consistently met while maintaining the highest safety and quality standards.

The primary purpose of the role is to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement by developing and executing strategies that ensure the highest standards of safety and product quality, efficient resource utilisation, and timely delivery to customers

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of approximately 30 direct reports
• Drive a strong safety-first culture across all operations
• Oversee all manufacturing activities across three shifts (24/5 and 24/7)
• Develop and execute operational strategies in alignment with business goals and KPIs
• Identify and resolve process capability and “fitness for manufacture” issues
• Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement, embedding best practices across all areas of responsibility
• Analyse production costs and implement strategies to improve profitability and reduce waste
• Manage daily and weekly production schedules to achieve optimum production efficiencies and DIFOT
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and company standards

Your skills and experience

• Minimum 5 years’ people leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
• Extensive knowledge of plastics manufacturing and/or recycling processes, equipment, and best practices.
• Demonstrated experience in working within industrial, low margin, high volume businesses
• Experience in lean operations and utilisation of industry 4.0 technology (desirable).
• Proven ability to drive continuous improvement, lead high-performing teams, and manage change in complex, highly automated facilities.
• Proficiency in manufacturing software systems (e.g., ERP, MES).
• Has a continuous improvement mindset (Lean / Six Sigma experience desirable)
• Superior communication skills, with the ability to connect across all levels at site.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Science, or Business (advantageous).
• Formal training in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies (desirable).
• Australia/New Zealand experience in manufacturing or recycling.
• Current knowledge of Australian workplace health and safety regulations