INTERIM QUALITY MANAGER – MECHANICAL, METAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS 

“Career development opportunity for ambitious customer focused quality manager to drive operational quality for a diverse range of in house manufactured and third party sourced products.”

Salary:  c£45000 (Pro Rata) + Excellent Benefits 

Location:  Wolverhampton, West Midlands 

Commutable from Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stafford, Stone, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Edgbaston. Harborne, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Lichfield, Tamworth, Stoke on Trent, Telford, Shrewsbury, Droitwich, Redditch, Worcester, Coventry, Warwick, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Stockport, Crewe

Our client is a well-established and respected manufacturer of fixtures, fittings and components both mechanical and electronic in the home and building infrastructure products sector. Customers include national, regional and local DIY chains, trade counters, hardware stores, other manufacturers etc as well as B2C internet sales. Highly acquisitive and experiencing excellent growth, the company is based in brand-new offices, distribution centre and test centre complex in the West Midlands but has operational facilities and subsidiaries nationally and globally.   

This is an interesting Interim (to Permanent) opportunity for a Quality Manager.  Reporting to the Manufacturing and Technical Director. You will drive and develop quality management capability, cultural quality behaviour and operational quality effectiveness. You will manage day to day operational quality activities focused on delivering effective resolution, preventative measures, and the exploitation of continuous improvement opportunities throughout our client’s head office, sales, manufacturing, next day logistics operations and all sourced product groups. The focus will be on resolving issues involving both products and service. You will drive and develop operational quality activities, ensuring the effective management of customer complaint investigation, preventative action implementation, effective handling of incoming and returned product inspection and quality management support to manufacturing operations.

The Role:

• Promote and maintain best practice for safety, health and environmental factors throughout all Quality operations, and facilitate the development of the safety culture within the quality management team.
• Establish, maintain and develop appropriate quality management systems and procedures, commensurate with the company’s objectives, ensuring continued accreditation to BS EN ISO 9001
• Provision of management system expertise and support for safety, environmental and resilience management systems.
• Implement appropriate analytical measures for the prevention of defects, process improvement and business quality performance.
• Lead the management of product and operational performance related customer complaints, from initial receipt acknowledgement, through containment and corrective action, to resolution, including on-site support, where appropriate, using 8D methodology.
• Remotely facilitating and coordinating 8D activities with overseas sourcing operations and supply chain.
• Effective management of operational quality activities, including appropriate AQL inspection of incoming products & materials, product returns handling, including investigation, trend analysis and appropriate final resolution with relevant external parties.
• Drive the quality management of manufacturing activities, embedding quality assured processes and the provision of appropriate quality surveillance within production operations.
• Provision of support to the sourcing team for evaluation and qualification of new suppliers, and continuous improvement activities with existing suppliers.
• Support Production Engineering in process development, equipment selection, and process flow activities within manufacturing operations.
• Coordinate quality management planning for new product introductions and product modifications.
• Provide coaching to develop quality awareness and cultural improvement
• Management of a small team of Quality Engineers.
• Effective management QMS auditing.
• Producing monthly reports, including KPI’s & Trend Analysis. 
• Creating Standard Operating Procedures for relevant activities. 
• Producing Product Quality Plans & associated documentation and corrective and preventative action reports.

The Ideal Applicant:

• Prefer trained QMS auditor with six sigma qualifications
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a customer focused quality role, ideally within a manufacturing environment, serving retail, wholesale, trade or consumers.  
• Highly customer focused with excellent customer relations skills and ability to bring issues to a satisfactory conclusion.
• High level of proficiency with MSOffice applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Proficient with FMEA process 
• Familiar with a design culture and able to read CAD / technical drawings 
• Experience leading problem-solving processes and use of quality tools
• Excellent team working & verbal and written communication skills
   

PR & MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR -B2B

“Newly created opportunity for degree educated journalism and PR focused marketing communications professional to support three business units specialising in the construction/building/architectural materials, industrial flooring, access solutions and fire protection products/solutions sector.”

C£25-30000 + Benefits

Location:  Warwickshire

Commutable from:  Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Bedworth, Rugby, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Dordon, Coleshill, Stratford on Avon, Leicester, Rugby, Bromsgrove, Lichfield, Tamworth, Hinckley, Ashby de la Zouche

Our client is a market leader in access, secure entry and fire protection solutions to the industrial and retail construction projects sector working with architects, consulting engineers, specifiers and main construction contractors.

This is a newly created position to support our client's growth plans for its range of bespoke, solutions in the UK market. As a result of acquisition and merger they would like to appoint a PR & Marketing Communications Coordinator to work closely with the Divisional Marketing Manager in the delivery of the PR/Public Relations and marketing communications strategy and plan for the UK business.  At least 90% of the role will be focused on PR/Public Relations and the associated content creation including writing press releases, case studies and technical sales support collateral for the three businesses and their sales teams.   Therefore, this role will suit someone with a flair for writing and a track record of producing PR material and content. 

• Work with the sales teams across the three businesses to develop PR & marketing communications activities, optimising synergies where possible and driving PR & marketing communications initiatives through to completion.
• Support the sales team and their lead generation activities with the production of PowerPoint and CPD presentations to support major specification sales project bids and tenders.
• Maintain and add to the content on all three company websites.
• Implement effective SEO techniques to improve organic search results.
• Maintain social media presence across the different channels (in particular Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube) 
• Design and create print ready artwork for adverts, exhibition graphics, brochures and case studies and CPD presentations
• Produce/write copy for the website(s), including technical data sheets, CPDs, case studies, blogs, news, brochures and email marketing campaigns.
• Organise all aspects of exhibition attendance including stand planning, booking and creation of exhibition graphics and promotional materials.
• Manage the creation of technical articles and maintain regular contact with relevant trade press editors and trade bodies to ensure coverage.
• Write and circulate press releases.
• Set up and manage advertising campaigns including social media and industry trade bodies
• Monitor website performance.
• Organise customer events from venue booking, content planning and invitation through to follow up.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate must have a minimum of 2-3 years’ experience in a similar role in B2B Public Relations and Marketing Communications, and will preferably have a relevant journalism or marketing degree.  This may be supplemented with a Chartered Institute of Marketing qualification or Post Graduate studies/training in journalism and/or public relations, creative writing, digital strategy and marketing communications.  You will be a self-motivated team player with the ability to manage multiple projects and tasks. 

• Experience of working closely with commercial sales/specification sales teams, in a PR and marketing communications role, within the B2B sector.
• Evidence/portfolio of strong copy writing skills for online and offline content including case studies, CPDs, articles, press releases, advertorials and blogs
• Experience of using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, knowledge of Adobe Illustrator an advantage
• Knowledge of content management system (ideally WordPress) very useful
• Experience of using CRM system 
• Experience of managing social media channels
• Experience of organising exhibitions and events
• A positive ‘Can-do’ attitude with a hands-on approach within a dynamic high growth business.
• Confident personality, able to influence and work in partnership with senior stakeholders such as the Sales Director, Managing Director and Sales/Commercial teams in relation to PR and marketing plans.
• Ambitious and keen to develop a career in PR and Marketing Communications.

OPERATIONS MANAGER – PRODUCTION

“Transformational change and leadership role for university degree educated Engineering professional, with lean, CI & Six Sigma experience required to manage specification sales led production and assembly operation.  Experience of sheet metal CNC forming, pressing and welding processes advantageous” 

Salary: £50-60000 (Dependent on Experience) + Bonus & Benefits 

Location:  Warwickshire

Commutable from Nuneaton, Tamworth, Atherstone, Dordon, Bedworth, Hinckley, Lichfield, Ashby de la Zouche, Leicester, Coventry, Rugby, Lutterworth, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Cannock, Rugeley, Burton upon Trent, Birmingham, Solihull, Warwick, Leamington Spa

Our client is a market leader in the specifications sales led manufacture and supply of mechanical security and service access solutions to the industrial and commercial sector including hotels, airports, shopping centres, high rise buildings, hotels, rail/underground, hospitals/care homes, university student accommodation, commercial and residential developments, interior design and fit out sector. Our client’s sales team works closely with architects, specifiers and main contractors. 
Following a recent restructure and ambitious growth plans, our client is now seeking an Engineering graduate for the role of Operations Manager – Production.  The successful candidate will be responsible for transformational change and leadership within this make to order production and assembly operation.  The ideal candidate will have previous experience of lean, CI and Six Sigma in order to strategically develop and enhance production capability to meet increased order numbers, improve operational output and performance.  

The production facility consists of sheet metal CNC cutting and forming/press machines, CNC machine centre, welding, painting, assembly and packing.  Orders are supplied nationally and internationally.  Whilst experience of sheet metal operations would be advantageous it is not a prerequisite however candidates must be champions of best in class health and safety within high performing lean CI production and assembly environments.

 
You will undertake a strategic review and analysis, working with senior executives at group and divisional level, in order to develop the best operational model for our client for now, the medium and long term in line with anticipated forward demand and sales growth.   As Operations Manager- Production you will progressively improve production capacity, introduce additional shifts, further up skill and develop the team to ensure succession planning as the operation grows.  The focus will be on establishing the foundations and continuously improving to achieve best in class production and assembly. You will manage the whole production and assembly operation from end to end.

The Role:
⦁    Manage and develop the production, maintenance and engineering functions. 
⦁    Manage the production performance, planning and day to day running of the production and assembly operation
⦁    A “hands on” manager prepared to lead from the front with a ‘’get it done” attitude. 
⦁    Drive a strong ‘’safety first’’ culture 
⦁    Ensure customer orders are fulfilled in full and on time and within stringent service level agreements. 
⦁    Transform performance through implementation of best practice processes and continuous improvement tools.
⦁    Uses established operational tools – lean, six sigma, and world class manufacturing techniques to deliver best in class performance on productivity, machinery utilisation, waste and OTIF. 
⦁    Adherence to Quality standards 
⦁    Primary safety leader of the production operation; directing all activities of the operation to ensure customer needs are met as well as efficient production, ensuring Health & Safety and Quality standards are met and maintained.
⦁    Ensures that delivery lead times are within policy to achieve OTIF targets.
⦁    Reviews weekly/ monthly/ quarterly production forecasting and scheduling and maintenance activities of the overall operation.
⦁    Responsible for income and expense related activities and performance 
⦁    Responsible for all inventory, including raw material, work in progress and finished goods, and related values and Kanban replenishment of same.

The Ideal Candidate:
⦁    University degree in Engineering/Manufacturing.
⦁    Experienced in the application of lean operational excellence, CI & Six Sigma tools – green or black belt.
⦁    At least 5-7 years previous manufacturing/production and assembly operations management experience,
⦁    Track record of success as a transformational change agent and leader.
⦁    Significant experience as a people manager and good leadership, management and supervisory skills required.  
⦁    Evidence of coaching and mentoring essential.
⦁    Able to drive a strong safety culture.  
⦁    Proven track record in problem solving, process development, and directing engineering projects to improve the equipment and technology.
⦁    Previous financial analysis and P & L management experience.
⦁    Experience implementing Quality Management Systems.
⦁    Experience of implementing ERP and production planning systems.
⦁    Efficiency driven- monitoring output and management of raw materials. 
⦁    Accomplished communicator. 
⦁    Target driven – production, inventory levels/ forecasting 
⦁    Excellent time management.
⦁    Strong organisation skills. A structured, systematic and logical thinker.
⦁    Must be able to prioritise and manage customer requirements, working closely with colleagues in sales, logistics and customer service.
⦁    Strong analytical and computer literacy skills especially Excel and PowerPoint
⦁    Confident and experienced in business case presentation, persuasion and influencing at senior stakeholder/executive level.

To apply, without delay, please email your CV in word format, quoting reference J13632.

TEST LABORATORY MANAGER - TESTING & CERTIFICATION 

 “Career development and leadership opportunity for commercially focused Test & Certification specialist with best in class experience gained in mechanical and electrical test engineering or other disciplines, including chemical, metallurgical, forensics etc to UK and International Industry Standards”

Salary:  c£Very Competitive + Excellent Large Company Benefits 

Location:  Wolverhampton 

Commutable from Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stafford, Stone, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Lichfield, Tamworth, Stoke on Trent, Telford, Shrewsbury, Droitwich, Redditch, Worcester, Coventry, Warwick, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Stockport, Crewe

Our client is a well-established and respected manufacturer of fixtures, fittings and components both mechanical and electronic in the home and building infrastructure products sector. Highly acquisitive and experiencing excellent growth, the company is based in a brand-new office, distribution centre and test centre complex in the West Midlands close to the M6/M54 but has operational facilities and subsidiaries nationally and globally.   

They are now seeking to strengthen their Test Centre team with the appointment of a Manager to head up their brand-new Test & Certification facility.  Our client offers testing and certification services both on an in-house basis to internal group companies and also to external customers including other manufacturers of mechanical, electrical and electronic components and products, in line with industry and national and international standards and certifications.  The role also encompasses management of product certification schemes to ensure continuity of compliance and maximise value from product certifications

Testing equipment is pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical/electronic and could cover tensile testing as well as a wide range of other tests.  

The Role:

You will manage our client’s brand-new Test Engineering Centre, ensuring that internal and external customer needs are met, providing an exemplary service, managing product certification scheme to ensure continuity of compliance and maximum value from product certifications.

• Promote and maintain compliance with procedural requirements and best practice for safety, health and environmental factors associated with testing operations, ensuring suitable provision is made for the identification of hazards and management of risks
• Develop & maintain the necessary systems and competencies within the testing team to manage daily operations, testing scheduling, and quote and report generation 
• Promote and maintain professional standards of service.
• Manage the testing capacity to suitably cater for customer indicative, UKAS accredited, competitor analysis, development and audit test requirements.
• Develop & maintain the necessary systems and competencies within the testing team to manage daily operations, testing scheduling, and quote and report generation 
• Preparation of audit test samples for our client’s certified product testing.
• Maintain a test quotation and booking service with transparent lead times and manage the provision of testing to agreed service levels.
• Maintenance and development of UKAS accredited ISO 17025 Laboratory management system, manuals, procedures and accreditation requirements.
• Identification and implementation of testing service improvements including scope of service and efficiency
• Promotion of our client’s testing services within the industry to maximise value.
• Development and maintenance of our client’s product certifications including CE marking, Kitemark and Certify product schemes, and product specific testing evidence.
• Monitor and evaluate developments within industry testing and product standards, identifying threats and opportunities and liaising with key stakeholders.
• Represent our client’s testing services at the Test House Studies Group.
• Manage and develop the Test Engineers and Team Leader to ensure flexibility and quality of service.
• Maintain good relationships internally with key members of executive team as well as customers and external bodies.

The Ideal Applicant:

• Degree/HNC/HND educated in Mechanical or Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Forensics or similar.
• Experience of Electrical/Electronic Engineering advantageous. Experience could be gained in mechanical, electronic, chemicals, biological, metals sectors or forensics. 
• Currently working within a similar specialist testing team or alternatively as part of a quality or product development function within a manufacturing environment but keen to develop career further into testing and certification.
• Experienced leading and motivating a team of engineers including apprentice engineers.
• Experience of BSI standards essential.
• Customer facing experience essential – this could be external customers or internal customers within different product or manufacturing divisions of the same organisation.
• •Experience of planning resource allocation and creating and presenting reports.
• Structured problem-solving techniques, including analysis and corrective and preventative action identification
• Ability to technically appraise company and competitor products.

In return our client offers a very competitive salary plus pension, 25 days holiday and the option to choose from a wide variety of other benefits offered by our client.
 

MAINTENANCE MANAGER - HEAVY ENGINEERING & PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT

“Exceptional career development opportunity for an Engineering Graduate, with track record of excellence in maintenance management to join market leader at strategically important production & processing facility.”

C£45-50000 + Car/Allowance and Excellent Benefits 

Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire

Our client is a world leader, with a £multibillion turnover and plants on virtually every continent.  Its investment in the latest heavy engineering and processing technology ensures its reputation as one of the world’s most sustainable corporations.

As part of its policy of continuous improvement and development they are seeking an ambitious Engineering Graduate who is very keen to take the next step into a Maintenance Management role at a strategically important site.

Reporting to a recently appointed and highly experienced Plant Manager, the Maintenance Manager will lead a small team of electricians and mechanical fitters, ensuring that plant equipment and maintenance systems are maintained, developed and improved within a manufacturing and Continuous Improvement environment and culture.  

The focus is safety first and zero harm and as Maintenance Manager you will champion and proactively promote this safe working ethos amongst your team and contractors.   You will lead the daily management of a production critical maintenance department including spares inventory and warehouse management on a processing/production site which operates on a 24/5 basis.  Assets include: shredding and crushing equipment, motors and sensors, mobile/materials handling equipment for transportation of material across the site, packaging and palletising equipment.

Therefore, our client is seeking an Engineering professional (mechanical and/or electrical) with a recent track record of engineering and maintenance team leadership gained within a “best in class”, quality focused, processing and production operation.
  
The Maintenance Manager will lead an experienced and competent team of mechanical and electrical engineers and will work with the Production Manager and cross functional colleagues in implementing all maintenance operations, mechanical, electrical and process control across inspection, planning, scheduling, execution and improvement phases. The objective will be to deliver a culture of continuous improvement and proactiveness not only within maintenance operations but also safety and health, environmental compliance and plant reliability. 

Our client is seeking a high potential who is already adept at working to stringent KPI’s and performance indicators. Successful candidates will be able to evidence excellent people development, managing engineering maintenance team performance via regular reviews, training, coaching and mentoring whilst also recognising potential with a view to succession planning.  

Maintenance and budgetary planning experience will be essential as you will be a key member of the site leadership team.  You will also be an excellent problem solver, structured, systematic and logical. 
 
The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical engineering and maintenance background gained within heavy processing sectors such as cement, aggregates, minerals or steel.  

The Role

• Develop a high-performing engineering and maintenance team with a culture of delivery and continuous improvement through effective leadership and management to deliver operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant statutory legislation and the internal company Safety, Health and Environmental Standards.
• Drive improvements in plant equipment availability and performance, including costs, through the implementation of engineering maintenance best practices across the whole site. 
• Own, develop and evolve the site’s engineering maintenance strategy, implementing a common maintenance platform.
• To monitor and ensure implementation and delivery of engineering maintenance procedures, initiatives and controls across all areas of responsibility.
• Liaise between functions to ensure team work, consistency, co ordination and best practice to eliminate losses from poor practices or communication and to expedite learning.
• Develop annual maintenance budgets for the site, highlighting operational constraints and the value adding performance that Maintenance can make.
• Ensure the application of defect elimination/Pareto/root cause failure analysis to all losses and be responsible for the recommendation/implementation of solutions.
• Management of the established site maintenance, planning and cost reporting systems to maximise their potential to the organisation.
• Keep abreast of and apply where appropriate new condition monitoring technologies, maintenance improvement 'tools' and processes.
• Support the development of engineering staff by defining, and where necessary, providing training in activities that support maintenance improvement and coaching.
• Define and implement KPI’s to monitor the performance of all maintenance employees and contractors.
• Apply and communicate the engineering and maintenance improvement strategy for the site including proactively supporting cross functionally to ensure maintenance practices are adopted and implemented.

The Ideal Candidate:

• University degree educated in Engineering. Must understand both engineering and business management principles. 
• An appreciation of a wide variety of engineering disciplines i.e. electrical, mechanical, process control and optimisation will be critical to success and credibility in this role.
• Master’s degree/other post graduate CPD highly advantageous.
• Your engineering & maintenance team management experience will be from very high safety culture, heavy engineering processing environments. Cement, aggregates, mining and minerals or steel/metals industry would be particularly interesting sectors.
• Consistent industry career history including existing or recent experience as a Maintenance Engineer or Coordinator, Maintenance Shift Team Leader or Supervisor/Manager, Maintenance Planner, Reliability and Asset Supervisor or Manager or other similar Maintenance Engineering leadership role.
• You will possess a demonstrable track record of engineering maintenance team leadership, motivation and development, working closely with HR to produce competency matrices, training plans, talent identification, coaching and mentoring.
• Experience using continuous improvement techniques will be critical to success.  Change and project management experience will therefore be highly advantageous.
• You will have experience of preparing and managing maintenance engineering budgets.
• Excellent project management skills are essential as you will play a key site lead role in terms of capital expenditure projects.
• A high level of IT literacy is essential i.e. Microsoft Excel and maintenance management and process control systems. 
• You will be an excellent communicator both in written and verbal format with executive presence, gravitas and technical and professional credibility.
• You will be an adept at engaging at all levels from the maintenance team to senior management and cross functionally, with well-honed persuasion and influencing skills.
• Resilient, driven, results focused personality - a high achiever.

In return our global multinational client offers a very competitive salary and benefits package, plus the opportunity to make a real difference to a market leading operation at an exciting stage of its continued growth and development.
 

QUALITY MANAGER – MECHANICAL, METAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS 

“Career development opportunity for ambitious customer focused quality manager to drive operational quality for a diverse range of in house manufactured and third party sourced products.”

Salary:  c£45000 + Excellent Benefits 

Location:  Wolverhampton, West Midlands 

Commutable from Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stafford, Stone, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Lichfield, Tamworth, Stoke on Trent, Telford, Shrewsbury, Droitwich, Redditch, Worcester, Coventry, Warwick, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Stockport, Crewe

Our client is a well-established and respected manufacturer of fixtures, fittings and components both mechanical and electronic in the home and building infrastructure products sector. Customers include national, regional and local DIY chains, trade counters, hardware stores, other manufacturers etc as well as B2C internet sales. Highly acquisitive and experiencing excellent growth, the company is based in brand-new offices, distribution centre and test centre complex in the West Midlands but has operational facilities and subsidiaries nationally and globally.   

Reporting to the Manufacturing and Technical Director. You will drive and develop quality management capability, cultural quality behaviour and operational quality effectiveness. You will manage day to day operational quality activities focused on delivering effective resolution, preventative measures, and the exploitation of continuous improvement opportunities throughout our client’s head office, sales, manufacturing, next day logistics operations and all sourced product groups. The focus will be on resolving issues involving both products and service. You will drive and develop operational quality activities, ensuring the effective management of customer complaint investigation, preventative action implementation, effective handling of incoming and returned product inspection and quality management support to manufacturing operations.

The Role:

• Promote and maintain best practice for safety, health and environmental factors throughout all Quality operations, and facilitate the development of the safety culture within the quality management team.
• Establish, maintain and develop appropriate quality management systems and procedures, commensurate with the company’s objectives, ensuring continued accreditation to BS EN ISO 9001
• Provision of management system expertise and support for safety, environmental and resilience management systems.
• Implement appropriate analytical measures for the prevention of defects, process improvement and business quality performance.
• Lead the management of product and operational performance related customer complaints, from initial receipt acknowledgement, through containment and corrective action, to resolution, including on-site support, where appropriate, using 8D methodology.
• Remotely facilitating and coordinating 8D activities with overseas sourcing operations and supply chain.
• Effective management of operational quality activities, including appropriate AQL inspection of incoming products & materials, product returns handling, including investigation, trend analysis and appropriate final resolution with relevant external parties.
• Drive the quality management of manufacturing activities, embedding quality assured processes and the provision of appropriate quality surveillance within production operations.
• Provision of support to the sourcing team for evaluation and qualification of new suppliers, and continuous improvement activities with existing suppliers.
• Support Production Engineering in process development, equipment selection, and process flow activities within manufacturing operations.
• Coordinate quality management planning for new product introductions and product modifications.
• Provide coaching to develop quality awareness and cultural improvement
• Management of a small team of Quality Engineers.
• Effective management QMS auditing.
• Producing monthly reports, including KPI’s & Trend Analysis. 
• Creating Standard Operating Procedures for relevant activities. 
• Producing Product Quality Plans & associated documentation and corrective and preventative action reports.

The Ideal Applicant:

• Prefer trained QMS auditor with six sigma qualifications
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a customer focused quality role, ideally within a manufacturing environment, serving retail, wholesale, trade or consumers.  
• Highly customer focused with excellent customer relations skills and ability to bring issues to a satisfactory conclusion.
• High level of proficiency with MSOffice applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Proficient with FMEA process 
• Familiar with a design culture and able to read CAD / technical drawings 
• Experience leading problem-solving processes and use of quality tools
• Excellent team working & verbal and written communication skills
   

PLANT GENERAL MANAGER 

“Excellent transformational change management role for Chemical Engineer/Engineering professional with track record of people development, engagement and continuous improvement in an Industrial Processing Environment.”

North

C£Very Competitive + Car Allowance, Bonus & Benefits & Relocation Assistance

Commutable Locations: Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, West Midlands, Shropshire, Greater Manchester, Humberside

Our client is a global market leader within the industrial processing sector and operates a number of plants in the UK.

Due to dynamic growth our client is now seeking an Engineering degree educated Plant General Manager to take the lead at three strategic sites located.  Candidates currently working within the heavy engineering/industrial processing industries would be particularly interesting.  

This is a high-profile leadership role, focused on ensuring continuous improvement of health and safety and operational efficiency.   You will manage a highly experienced and loyal team, further developing and instilling a zero-harm culture, and the technical competencies and behaviours required to achieve and sustain world class standards for the manufacture of our client’s product which is exported globally and utilised for a wide range of industry applications.  

The successful candidate will therefore demonstrate a high profile and visible leadership style, and a track record of transformational change management and people development, engagement and motivation against a backdrop of a “best in class”, operational development programme. Ideally this experience will have been gained within a blue-chip multinational environment renowned for its world class/leading edge standards in terms of operational performance, people development, change management and leadership - an "employer of choice".

The ideal applicant will possess current and previous site leadership and manufacturing operational management experience gained within a fast-moving, lean processing, high customer service focused heavy engineering/industrial processing environment will be a prerequisite. The sites are unionised so excellent, well-honed ER skills are essential.

The Role:

The primary purpose of the roles is to be responsible for optimizing labour; safety on site; material and equipment resources to maximize production capability and meet customer expectations with excellent quality and service. We are seeking people with experience of turnaround/transformation, people development, technical skills transfer, retention and management as part of a talent development and succession planning programme, continuously improving and developing such operations as the sites take on increased customer volumes both in the UK and in the export market.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Must be University degree educated in Engineering – Chemical Engineering would be particularly advantageous.
• Consistent career history in blue chip multinational environments
• High profile leadership experience in a Plant/Site Operations. Worked at Plant/Factory Manager Level.
• Track record of people development, technical skills transfer, retention and management, employee engagement, change and continuous improvement leading to best in class OEE and safety standards
• Experience in Project Management, business and systems analysis highly advantageous but people management, development and succession planning within a long established and highly skilled processing environment will be critical to success.
• Plant, Site or Factory multi functional operations leadership experience must have been gained within heavy industrial processing sector 
• Experienced Lean or Continuous Improvement champion with track record of excellent team development and engagement to deliver continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated experience of cross functional and multi-level interaction and working in a matrix organization.
• Ideally experience of working within high volume / target driven manufacturing environment.
• Led & achieved results in UK or pan-European, multi-single site, managing cross functionally within blue-collar sites. 
• Experience of leading and managing employee relations at a senior level through continuous improvement within best in class operations.
• Proven skills and capabilities in leadership, communication, capability, collaboration and problem solving.
• Excellent experience of the Budgeting process and CAPEX business case approval process.
• Project Management qualification highly advantageous.
• Knowledge and use of Lean/Six Sigma.
• PC Literate. Particularly strong Excel skills.
• Resilient, driven, results focused personality -  a high achiever.
   

UK CATEGORY MANAGER – ENGINEERING, SPARE PARTS, MRO, INDUSTRIAL LABOUR, PACKAGING

C£45-50000 + Car, Bonus & Benefits

Location: West Midlands with national remit 

Our client is a global company with leading positions in many of its markets.  The company provides high quality products and services to customers in more than 50 countries around the world.   In the UK it now employs 50,000 employees worldwide.

In the UK it generates £multi million annual sales and has a supply network with over 400 operating locations.  Our client is a dynamic organisation focused on results. 

As a result of a European procurement transformation programme and restructure of the procurement function our client is seeking a degree educated, part/fully qualified CIPS Category Manager to take the lead with its Engineering Goods and Services category which includes Engineering MRO, low cost country sourced machined spare parts, packaging, IT, industrial labour including electrical and mechanical craft personnel, fabricators and welders.

As Sourcing and Procurement Category Manager you will develop and implement assigned sourcing and category strategies in the UK business unit and potentially some pan European business units.  Experience of Engineering, MRO, industrial labour categories and low-cost country sourcing of machined/engineered spare parts will be critical to success.  You will also be responsible for supplier performance, relationship and contract management.  Your focus will be to deliver the best available commercial option, from a quality, financial, sustainable and risk perspective.  Your key stakeholders will be engineering, manufacturing business units and pan European procurement at all levels.

The Role:

• Identify current and new vendors for given categories/ sourcing projects and monitor market trends.
• Closely collaborate with local and global procurement teams and all relevant internal European stakeholders in order to deliver the most suitable and sustainable product/ service in each requirement instance.
• Source given requirements in compliance with our client’s procurement methodology, prepare fully evaluated business cases for all negotiations, share and agree with the business and review with your line manager, the European Category Manager.
• Regular engagement with key engineering and operational stakeholders to ensure that procurement and operational strategies are aligned.
• Provide commercial support to internal engineering and operational stakeholders to ensure that the best commercial position is achieved within global and local procurement governance frameworks.
• Ensure operational engagement and early procurement involvement in the value chain ensuring compliance and adherence to commercial targets.
• Manage sustainable supply of engineering parts/MRO whilst minimising inventory and commercial risk. 
• Creatively explore different approaches in negotiation agreements to achieve greatest cost benefit for our client.
• Ensure as part of the sourcing strategy, that low cost alternative operations are presented and considered as part of the evaluation.
• Continuously evaluate, identify and present new tangible cost saving opportunities.
• Monitor economic and market trends in analyse, evaluate the impact of commodity prices and their effects over current and future sourcing strategies.
• Continuously seek the best options, challenging the status quo where needed/ applicable.
• Support the European Category Manager as and when needed with reporting data relevant to the European strategy decision making process.
• Deliver measurable improvements in terms of cost savings in line with agreed savings targets to improve business profitability. 
• Prepare and execute, in coordination with the Legal team, the legal documentation to support the negotiations.
• Monitor expiry dates of contracts to assure correct renewal or open new source process if needed.
• Responsible for the development, implementation and operation of vendor management strategy for all suppliers under management in your defined portfolio. 
• Responsible for the management of a high value supplier portfolio of goods and services, including supplier management, negotiations and contract compliance in line with corporate strategy.
• Management of SAP agreements and tools to ensure Operations can purchase the agreed Goods and Services.
• Monitor vendor performance, provide the team and stakeholders with the appropriate feedback to anticipate any risks, difficulties or opportunities.
• Attends relevant Operational meetings to ensure Procurement and Operations are aligned and Procurement maintains high services levels to Operations.

The Ideal Candidate:

• University Degree educated
• Part or Fully Qualified CIPS/European Procurement Diploma or willing to study.
• Experience of the following categories:  Engineering, MRO, Low Cost Country sourced machined/engineered parts, Industrial and Temporary Engineering labour including Mechanical, Electrical Craft personnel, Fabricators, Welders or similar, Packaging, IT.
• At least five years’ experience in a Buyer, Sourcing, Procurement or Category Management role within a multinational manufacturer within the FMCG, industrial, automotive, chemicals, construction materials or engineering sector.
• Experience of developing and deploying national category/procurement strategies cross functionally at regional and business unit level.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and persuasion skills familiar with operating within a UK and pan European matrix corporate structure.  Able to constructively challenge.  Diplomatic, professional, credible and mature approach. 
• An excellent negotiator, problem solver and collaborative team player. Commercial experience of advanced negotiations with senior stakeholders to deliver value objectives. 
• Strong track record of category/procurement efficiency improvement opportunities across processes, compliance, transactions, KPI’s.
• Commercially astute, with experience of assessing external supply markets and skilled in translating opportunities into long term strategies. 
• Ability to analyse and interpret data, with strong financial /commercial focus whilst maintaining the “big picture” view.
• Ability to lead, persuade and influence internal and external partners through a period of change, managing transformation tactically, operationally and strategically.
• Experience of SAP.  Intermediate to advanced Excel skills and strong capability in Powerpoint.
• Ambitious with potential and desire to progress further within the European procurement function.
• A second European language would be highly advantageous.