Senior Production Manager

Purpose of Job

Senior Production Managers are responsible for coordinating suppliers to produce our clients’ designs and complement the project team by managing supplier production and overseeing assembly and packing of articles in the required quality and time frame. All with higher emphasis on cost effectiveness, negotiation with suppliers, sustainability, concept development, supporting the others within Production team and providing communication strategy to the client.

We expect our Senior Production Manager to be highly technically skilled, organized and attentive to detail (to operate and master our ERP system), good communicators, planners, and team players working closely with our CAD engineers, production managers, account/roll-out managers, warehouse teams, logistic managers and installation teams and finance department.

Key responsibilities

• Development Subject Matter Expert
• Production management - Manage all aspects of production with vendors, ensuring delivery timetables and maintaining current status of assigned projects at all times, brief design/engineering teams and verify mechanical drawing details, prepare quotations and indicate appropriate vendors for production, plan and track supplier production and set priorities accordingly.
• Supplier Management - Develop and sustain excellent relationships with all suppliers, liaison between different material suppliers for cross production checks.
• Provide the ongoing training and support to Production Managers, provides guidance and mentoring on the development of the fixtures, etc.
• Concept development – Manage the whole process of concept development from design and engineering phase to the final project handover to the client. Acts as a key partner for Account/Project Managers in area of the Development and suppliers' management.
• Development Subject Matter Expert. Proactively proposing alternative solutions and materials.
• Client Satisfaction - developing and keeping excellent relationships with appropriate client contacts (design teams), demonstrate our partnership with client by providing added value (info, know-how etc.), all together with emphasis on sustainability.
• Responsible for resolution of issues escalated by Production Managers.
• Project documentation - Ensure quality and final check of technical documentation (design drawings, production draw bill of materials, meta data), compliance with internal and clients standards and systems. Ensure ERP system is used to document all production related information and technical documentation.
• Communication - Key contact for internal teams and suppliers on project status and details, provide clear and timely solution-oriented communication to suppliers and internal team members.
• Quality Control (together with QC Dept.) - Ensure quality and on time delivery of production articles, plan inspections at supplier’s facilities and on incoming components to warehouse, ensure packaging standards reflecting client’s needs.
• Supplier selection recommendation and commercial price negotiation.
• Financial control and project evaluation – establish and communicate budgets and work back schedules for each project, work within established operating budgets, analyze job revenue, cost and profitability by job and/or project.
• Claims handling - Manage claims of damaged or missing components

Knowledge, Skills + Experience

• Strong experience in production area – ideally in retail fixture fabrication or related industry.
• Technical education is a big plus (furniture, mechanical, civil engineering, architecture).
• Able to read and comprehend technical drawings.
• Advanced knowledge of materials and production technologies in joinery, metal works, plastics, printing and glass works as well as of finishes and finishing techniques for wood and metal.
• Supplier relationship management skills – ability to build and maintain strong, mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers and develop incentives to encourage suppliers to achieve greater excellence.
• Negotiation skills – ability to use a range of approaches and strategies to build a stronger negotiation base and form long-term relationships.
• Project management skills – organizational and planning abilities in combination with time management skills and ability to multitask.
• Open, Honest and Direct.
• Stress resistant and able to focus under time pressure.
• Excellent communication skills for both personal and written interaction with suppliers, internal teams and client.
• Ability to multi-task without losing focus and control.
• Perfectionist with a high level of attention to detail.
• Drive for development and self-improvement.
• Advanced level of MS Office (MS Excel is a must).
• Knowledge of ERP systems.
• Knowledge of 3D design software or Inventor or SOLIDWORKS software.
• Languages: English – advanced level required for daily written and verbal communication + knowledge of technical English; another language is an advantage.
• Driver's licence B - active driver.