Production project manager

Reporting to: Director of Production
Direct Reports: Production Team Leader

As Production Project Manager, you will take full ownership of assigned production projects from order handover through to final dispatch from our Eastleigh facility. Working closely with Engineering, Procurement and Production, you will ensure every project is delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.

You'll be responsible for production readiness, project planning, labour coordination, team leadership and performance, ensuring all materials, documentation and resources are in place to meet agreed delivery milestones.

Key Responsibilities

Project Delivery

• Take ownership of production projects from order handover through to final dispatch.

• Ensure all materials, drawings, documentation and production resources are available to meet planned start dates.

• Monitor project progress against agreed milestones, identifying risks early and implementing recovery plans where required.

• Forecast material requirements and ensure parts are available to support production schedules.

• Work closely with Engineering and Procurement to resolve issues that could impact delivery.

Production Planning

• Support factory capacity planning with the Director of Production to ensure projects are scheduled effectively.

• Coordinate labour requirements ahead of production, managing the performance of assigned fitters, fabricators, testers and engineers.

• Manage and control labour hour budgets across all assigned projects, ensuring any variances are identified early and corrective actions are implemented to maintain budget and delivery commitments.

• Monitor productivity, build hours and project performance against agreed budgets and delivery dates.

• Set clear objectives for production teams and ensure projects remain on track.

Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach and support the Production Team Leader and wider production team to achieve high levels of performance.

• Deliver effective onboarding and development for new employees and apprentices.

• Promote multi-skilling through training, coaching and the use of a structured skills matrix.

• Foster a positive, accountable and collaborative team culture.

• Manage low-level performance and disciplinary matters fairly and professionally.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure compliance with all Health & Safety legislation, policies and procedures.

• Build strong working relationships across all departments to support successful project delivery.

• Drive continuous improvement in production processes, planning and team performance.

• Provide regular project updates to the Director of Production, highlighting risks, progress and opportunities for improvement.

• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality standards

Essential

• Experience in a Production, Manufacturing or Project Management role.

• Proven ability to lead and develop production teams.

• Strong planning, organisational and problem-solving skills.

• Experience managing labour, budgets and production schedules.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Good understanding of Health & Safety within a manufacturing environment.

• Competent in Microsoft Office and production planning/ERP systems.

Desirable

• Project Management qualification (APM, PRINCE2 or similar).

• Leadership qualification (ILM or equivalent).

• Experience of Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement