Head of Production

Candidate Opportunity Brief

Position: Head of Production

Reporting to: Operations Director, UK  

Confidentiality: N/A

Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group) are a leading Executive search and talent advisory firm specialising in the following sectors:

• Rail & Transportation
• Civils & Construction
• Manufacturing & Supply Chain
• Technology & Cyber Security
• Logistics & Intermodal Freight
• Defence                                             

Our search directors, search consultants and in house research team specialise in retained opportunities at the highest level of organisational leadership and management.

Our success is based upon a blend of trust-driven relationships, robust market knowledge, and working practices that ensure the best possible alignment of organisational need with experience and personal ambition.

Working with business leaders on bespoke assignments for over a decade, we understand exactly what our customers expect from an executive search and talent advisory service – whether there is a pressing business need for an executive interim or that of a long-term permanent appointment - Ford & Stanley Executive Search provide the solution.

We have been exclusively appointed by Dellner Polymer on a retained search for a Head of Production.

Below you will find a ‘Candidate Opportunity Brief’ developed from notes taken during the scoping meeting (Situational Discovery) held between the Search Director of Executive Search & Head of Executive Search and the Operations Director at Dellner Polymer.

This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents, and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.

Client Opportunity Statements:

"The business is on a journey to drive operational excellence across its UK manufacturing operations, with a clear focus on improving performance, increasing productivity, and creating a more consistent, high-performing production environment. As a newly created position, the Head of Production will be central to delivering these ambitions and supporting the continued growth of the division.

A key part of this transformation is the significant investment being made into the business, including nearly £1m of new machinery and the increasing use of operational data. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in translating data into actionable insights, improving build plan adherence, reducing downtime, and ensuring the business realises a strong return on its investments.

The incoming Head of Production must be a genuine people leader who can establish credibility quickly, win hearts and minds across the organisation, and lead from the front. With responsibility for Production, Planning, Stores and Factory Operations, this individual will become a trusted deputy to the Operations Director and a driving force behind the next phase of the business’s growth and cultural development."

Challenges expected within the first 12 months include:

• The incoming Head of Production will be challenged with plenty of opportunities to make progress. It will be of paramount importance that they quickly establish strong priorities.  
• It’s no secret that there is an element of resistance to change within the culture at the site. The incoming Head of Production will need to establish leadership quickly.
• Although data is available it’s not widely utilised within the business and as such, its imperative that the incoming Head of Production works quickly to upskill those involved to enable full utilisation.

Key deliverables within the first 12 months include:

• Improve build plan adherence and the stability between the plan and shipment.
• Reduce downtime on machines and improve understanding of productivity.
• Leverage data to understand roadmap to improvement.

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)

§  Able to demonstrate their understanding of a data led manufacturing approach.  

§  Understanding ‘best in practice’ processes such as Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing etc.  

§  Strong problem solver with an ability to ‘think outside of the box’.

§  Experience within engineering or manufacturing businesses.

§  Capable of managing change and delivering improvements within a production environment.  

Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)

§  A resilient character who will lead from the front and ensure positive culture.

§  Collaborative individual who will build strong partnerships across the business and drive collaborative working.

§  A sense of confidence and energy to drive change.

§  Experience building relationships shop floor to boardroom.

§  Demonstratable experience of ‘feeling the weight of the table’ in the operations they have led.

Ford & Stanley Executive Search Pre-Submission Process:

• First Engagement: A short engagement and introductory conversation to position the opportunity, gauge candidate early interest level and arrange a time and date for a more detailed discussion. NDA sent (if applicable) upon receipt of signed NDA - Candidate Opportunity Brief shared.
• Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where candidates and executive search consultant explore and discuss the opportunity brief. Candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the key essentials and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstance. The search consultant will utilise the information captured during candidate discovery to start to build your profile on suitability. Recommendations may be made at this point for adjustments or updates to your CV.
• The ‘shortlist’: Shortlisted candidates, having taken time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the clients business are reengaged where they are asked to provide additional specific information on their suitability (if/where applicable). Final checks of key notes, package details and logistical alignments made. Finishing touches are then made to your profile prior to submission along with our notes and recommendations.

Interview Process:

• 1st Stage Interview: Teams session to be held with the Operations Director
• 2nd Stage interview: On site with the Operations Director and HR.

Good to know:

• The business provides technologically advanced vibration control, rubber fabrication and bonding solutions for a global market.
• The division operates across three manufacturing facilities with a collective turnover of approximately £35m.
• Headcount across the division is approximately 143 employees.
• Under private ownership, the business benefits from an agile and entrepreneurial culture. A leader with an entrepreneurial mindset will be well positioned to drive growth and continuous improvement.
• There is a high level of interest and support from the ownership group, with significant investment being made into the organisation''s future development.
• The Head of Production is a newly created position and forms a key part of the strategy to accelerate growth and operational performance.
• The successful candidate will become the right hand to the Operations Director and take ownership of Production, Planning, Stores and Factory Operations.
• The business has in excess of two years of secured order book, providing a strong platform for future growth.
• It is vital that the successful candidate can win hearts and minds, establish credibility quickly and maintain a visible presence on the shop floor.
• This role will have four direct reports: Planning Manager, Production Manager, Stores Manager and Maintenance Team Lead.
• Significant investment has been made in manufacturing equipment, including almost £1m of new machinery.
• Recent changes to shift patterns have contributed to improvements in productivity and operational stability.
• Output across the operation has improved significantly over the last 12 months and is now consistently stable.
• Build plan adherence remains an area for improvement and currently sits at approximately 60%, having previously achieved 80%.
• Significant quantities of operational data are available, and the incoming Head of Production will be expected to leverage this information to drive performance improvements.
• Culture and employee engagement have improved considerably following a number of positive changes implemented across the business.
• The board is focused on achieving a strong return on investment from recent capital expenditure and operational improvement initiatives.

Budget:

Low: £70,(Apply online only) Mid: £75,(Apply online only) High: £80,(Apply online only) (Noting we may stretch this for exceptional candidates)

Supporting benefits

• Car Allowance £6,(Apply online only)
• Wider Business Benefits

Executive Search Delivery Team:

• Tom Norton – Head of Executive Search (Headhunting, Offer Negotiations, Client Recommendations/Advisory)
• Sam Ford – Search Director (Headhunting, Networking, Research, Search, Longlisting, Interviews, Data & Market Intel)
• Tilia Kozluk – Executive Assistant (Diary Management, Coordination, Candidate Experience)

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search:

Please see supporting appendix: Executive Search Candidate Journey

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.

Services advertised by Ford & Stanley Executive Search are that of an executive search and talent advisory business.