London, UK
Production manager
at Dragons of Walton Street
Dragons of Walton Street is hiring a production manager to join its team in London.
Production manager – Billingshurst, West Sussex and Central London
Dragons of Walton Street
Dragons is a 40 year old luxury children’s furniture retailer with a growing interior design department. With a celebrity client list, retail and trade customers in over 70 countries and a London showroom, with exclusive rights to hand paint Beatrix Potter and Paddington Bear amongst others, our mission is to originate innovative children’s interiors, furniture and artwork that delight and inspire our clients (parents and children), as well as to create memories for life. Our designs combine traditional values with cutting edge interior design and our services are performed with a high degree of skill and an exceptional level of care.
The role
Dragons of Walton Street is on the look-out for a dynamic and confident Head of Production to help us drive forward our exciting plans. Dragons produce luxurious bespoke children’s furniture and interiors in the world. As the head of production, you will be responsible for leading all production operation functions across Dragons. You will manage people and resources, ensuring the functional excellence, efficiency and compliance of our output. You will identify and implement KPI’s and associated improvement opportunities, reporting on current performance levels. Responsible for production, supply chain, quality, compliance and planning to ensure successful completion of business operation.
Other responsibilities include outlining and improving our production processes. These processes will need to be evaluated and fine-tuned in the most efficient and cost-effective manner and in line with Health and Safety and Legal standards. You must have excellent communication skills to drive and enhance team creativity. You will also be confident in developing innovative products, processes and driving sales whilst promoting continuous improvement across all areas. The successful candidate will be a dynamic, proactive and forward-thinking member of the team and will become an integral part of the company ensuring its ongoing success.
Core areas of work and accountabilities:
- overseeing the full manufacturing and production processes of products whilst evaluating and constantly improving working practices
- delivering client orders to budget and to project timelines
- procuring production equipment and taking on the responsibility for maintenance
- building strong relationships with key suppliers and looking out for future supplier relationships with other key suppliers, whilst constantly ‘bench marking’ to ensure the business can benefit from the most competitive industry prices
- working on NPD projects were required, with the ability to read production and technical drawings
- work with wider teams to implement systems and software where appropriate
- monitoring the company’s inventory and implement new efficient stock control processes
- scheduling management, ensuring changes and concerns are communicated to stakeholders and addressed within the team
- preparing budget and cost reports on production and managing the department P&L
- managing smooth and efficient production process including implementing safety, health and legal applicable standards
- project managing in typical challenges such as BOM Structures, BOM Understandings, as well as implementing new systems
- reporting to the CEO on progress, projections, budgets and all known issues
- create milestone content and realistic production schedules
- ensure full compliance with relevant health and safety legislation and operating requirements, promoting safe standards of working across the production team as required
- responsible for the creation or refining of systems to minimise error and improve productivity
- monitoring productivity rates, standards and quality control
- leading a team of operators, coaching them to solve problems and encouraging improvement
Skills and experience:
- an operational, supply chain or planning background is essential, and demonstrated ability to apply it to a SME company setting
- proven team leadership experience, inspiring high performing teams
- strong analytical mind with excellent people and communication capabilities
- effective team management skills – experience of managing and motivating staff in all disciplines towards a common project goal
- excellent risk analysis where it relates to scheduling, budget and design
- a hands-on and strategic individual with a history in leadership management, employee engagement and change management
- understanding of principles of quality, H&S and stock control
- purchasing experience, ideally with at least five years’ within a production management role
- flexible approach and happy to travel if/where required: site; suppliers and customer visits
Benefits and hours of work
We offer a salary starting £40,000 per annum, along with the opportunity to earn bonuses if targets and KPI’s are met. Working Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:30am and 6:00pm. You will work three days in our Showroom (London, Walton Street) and two days in our Studio (Sussex, in the future we may move to London).