Manufacturing Manager

SUMMARY:
Manufacturing Manager | Cape Town
Manufacturing | Full-time | On-site
 
Our client is an established manufacturing and distribution business supplying a wide range of products to major South African retailers. Operating within a complex, multi-stage production environment, the business requires strong operational leadership to improve flow, increase throughput, and drive consistent performance across the factory.
 
They are seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Manager to take ownership of end-to-end production operations. This role is suited to a senior, process-driven individual who can bring structure, improve workflow, and build a disciplined, high-performing shop floor.

POSITION INFO:
Key Responsibilities

• Translate demand into structured weekly and daily production plans
• Manage batch sizing, sequencing, and production flow across departments
• Control WIP between processes to reduce bottlenecks and downtime
• Establish clear production priorities and expediting rules
• Drive daily production cadence (plan vs. actual, constraints, recovery actions)
• Implement practical systems to manage production and track KPIs
• Introduce visual management and structured shop-floor routines
• Improve visibility, accountability, and performance tracking
• Lead production supervisors and teams across multiple departments
• Build a culture of accountability, discipline, and performance
• Drive training, cross-skilling, and capability development
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks to improve throughput
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives (waste, scrap, rework, overtime)
• Improve workflow stability, changeovers, and material utilisation
• Embed practical Lean principles on the shop floor
• Align production with procurement, sales, and customer delivery requirements
• Work with engineering on tooling, fixtures, and process improvements
• Support equipment reliability and preventative maintenance practices
• Ensure fast response to breakdowns, particularly on constraint processes

• Proven experience in a senior production or manufacturing management role
• Strong background in multi-stage manufacturing (fabrication, processing, finishing)
• Demonstrated experience managing WIP, bottlenecks, and production flow
• Solid exposure to Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Strong leadership experience managing supervisors and production teams
• Hands-on, structured, and highly process-driven approach