Production Manager (Night Shift)

Location: Johannesburg
Employment Type: Permanent
Industry: Manufacturing

Position Overview

An established manufacturing organisation is seeking an experienced and hands-on Production Manager – Night Shift to provide operational and technical leadership across its manufacturing operations.

This is a senior production management position requiring an accomplished manufacturing professional who can take ownership of production performance during the night shift and ensure that operational targets are achieved safely, efficiently and consistently.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People (SQDCP) while improving productivity, quality, resource utilisation and overall manufacturing efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Production Management

• Oversee night-shift production operations and ensure daily production targets are achieved.
• Monitor and manage production plans, schedules, workflows and output.
• Ensure production SOPs are correctly implemented and consistently followed.
• Set and monitor daily production and performance targets.
• Identify production constraints and implement corrective actions.
• Manage production non-conformances and operational challenges.
• Ensure the availability and replenishment of raw materials.
• Drive optimal utilisation of production capacity, labour and resources.

Quality Management

• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System.
• Ensure finished products consistently meet required quality standards and specifications.
• Monitor quality performance and identify trends requiring intervention.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Drive initiatives to reduce rejects and rework.
• Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Procurement and Logistics teams to resolve quality and production issues.
• Promote a strong quality-conscious culture across the production team.

People Leadership

• Lead and manage Production Supervisors, Team Leaders and production employees.
• Manage team performance, productivity and operational discipline.
• Ensure effective communication throughout the shift.
• Manage absenteeism, overtime and staff costs.
• Ensure optimal utilisation of available labour.
• Address employee underperformance and support performance improvement.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures and applicable labour requirements.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to eliminate waste and improve process capability.
• Drive productivity and efficiency improvement projects.
• Implement visual management systems and operational dashboards.
• Improve labour productivity and material utilisation.
• Identify and implement cost-reduction opportunities.
• Use manufacturing data and KPIs to identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Encourage employees to identify and implement innovative process improvements.

Health & Safety

• Maintain a strong safety culture across night-shift operations.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety requirements.
• Ensure employees use the required PPE.
• Identify and correct unsafe acts and conditions.
• Ensure machinery safety requirements are followed.
• Maintain excellent housekeeping standards throughout the production environment.

Reporting

• Monitor and report production and quality performance.
• Track actual production against planned production.
• Analyse operational data and manufacturing KPIs.
• Use performance information to drive corrective action and continuous improvement.

Minimum Requirements

• NQF Level 7 qualification in Industrial Engineering or Operations Management.
• 10–15 years' production management experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years' managerial experience.
• Strong manufacturing and production leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling and performance management.
• Demonstrated Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement experience.
• Strong technical, analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Good understanding of maintenance planning.
• Sound knowledge of Health & Safety requirements within a manufacturing environment.
• Sound understanding of the South African labour framework.
• Competent in Microsoft Office applications.
• Must be comfortable operating in a Night Shift manufacturing environment.

Advantageous

• Management Development Programme certification.
• Previous Syspro experience.
• Previous experience leading large or complex production teams.
• Experience implementing measurable productivity, cost-saving and process-improvement initiatives.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a decisive and highly accountable manufacturing leader who is comfortable taking ownership of production operations during the night shift.

The successful candidate will be able to lead teams independently, make sound operational decisions under pressure, resolve production and quality challenges quickly, and continuously drive improvements in safety, productivity, quality and cost performance.