Production Leader
Wabtec · Burton on Trent, LJ, United Kingdom
We are seeking a proactive and motivated leader with the ability to coordinate production activities, maintain high standards of safety and quality, and support continuous improvement initiatives. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator who can engage teams, drive performance, and ensure customer requirements are consistently met.
This is an excellent opportunity for an individual who is passionate about operational excellence and committed to creating a safe, efficient, and high-performing working environment.
Role: Production Leader
Salary: £Competitive
Location: Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, (DE13 8EN) – (Onsite)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time
About the Role
Lead, coordinate, and continuously improve day‑to‑day production activities across allocated cells/lines to deliver safe operations, right‑first‑time quality, adherence to standard hours, and on‑time delivery to customer requirements. Ensure teams work to defined methods, procedures, and standards, optimise attendance and sickness performance, and maintain smooth interfaces with middle management and support functions.
- Lead all aspects of production within a process area
- Ensure all Production team employees comply with statutory and company regulations
- Maintain a safe working environment and comply with all Health & Safety requirements.
- providing a regular oversight of work carried out by individuals in the team at appropriate hold points reviewing the quality of workmanship and formally identifying defects
- Own and manage workshop daily requirements for all customer deliverable products
- Actively drive down production costs and seek efficiency through continuous improvements
- Communicate effectively and demonstrate the company values
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Safety
- Lead Safety as a non-negotiable: deliver daily safety briefs, toolbox talks, and Point of Work risk assessments.
- Ensure strict compliance with:- Conduct safety inspections, rectify hazards, and escalate HSE concerns immediately.
- Lead incident/near miss reporting, investigations, corrective actions, and verification of effectiveness.
- Ensure housekeeping standards (5S) are achieved and sustained.
- Ensure own health and safety and that of others and promote a positive health and safety culture within the workplace (R)
- Ensure all Health and safety obligations are met, and company policies are adhered to (including SHE regulations, COSHH, Risk Assessments, 2MW’s etc) (A)
- Report any safety concerns, hazard observations, accidents and incidents to allow full investigation and prevent re-occurrence (R)
- Conduct safety briefings and ensure PPE compliance (R)
- Ensure all personnel within department are informed, trained and competent to undertake their roles (R)
- New Starter / Employee Transfer H & S Inductions (R)
- Ensure compliance of local departmental safety processes (R)
- Communicate Safe systems of work within area of control (R)
- Monitor, govern and exemplify safe working practices daily (R)
- Investigate incidents and events in line with company communication protocols (A/R)
- In the event of an accident/incident, make safe then preserve the scene and gather initial evidence i.e. Photos, SWPs, training records, witness statements (R)
Quality
- Ensure activities and associated actions and measures taken do not endanger but assist with the upkeep and maintaining the company’s ISO (9001, 14001 and 45001) standards and certification (A)
- Ensure all personnel within department are trained and competent to carry out their tasks with full recognition of quality and SoTR (R)
- Participate in the deployment of Wabtec Quality Systems in the manufacturing/ delivery of products/services across their process area (R)
- Work with the Quality Engineer to investigate any NCR`s raised (including customer complaints, internal or external audits, `Quality red flags` raised etc) and take ownership of the corrective actions to prevent a further recurrence
- Assist the Quality function in ensuring via an audit program Wabtec Quality Systems are followed in the manufacture/delivery of products/services within their process area (A)
- Ensure the Documentation Packs are followed with their process area (A)
- Ensure self and all required personnel complete enabling quality improvement processes (R)
- Manage, monitor and report on the quality of completed works on site and to take responsibility for resolving customer complaints relating to specific work your department is involved in (R)
Delivery
- Assist in production of the schedule to satisfy customer demand (R)
- Ensure the delivery of products to an agreed schedule (R)
- Identify material shortages, equipment and time losses, then participate in putting recovery plans in place for short term recovery (R)
- Monitor work schedules and put corrective measures in place to achieve schedules with clear and concise communication. (R)
- Constantly review progress against schedules to provide early and good communications to the Production Manager (R)
Operations
- Monitor Performance and enable their team to achieve agreed throughput rates and participate in driving recovery plans in as necessary to achieve production targets (A)
- Lead start of shift meetings (R)
- Ensure shift handovers are effective where required (R)
- Report and escalate issues as part of shop floor data capture process in a timely manner (R)
- Be the link with supply chain to ensure the flow of the correct material to line side in a timely manner(R)
- Actively be involved in and promote continuous improvement processes, identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements & cost reductions and be an inspiration to others (R)
- Monitor, report on and improve work areas as part of 5’s’ culture (R)
- Communicate effectively and demonstrate the company values (R)
- Ensure ETS accuracy and maintain accurate production records and reports (R)
- Monitor and adjust process parameters to optimise efficiency and minimise waste (R)
- Identify and troubleshoot process or equipment issues, escalating where necessary (R)
People
- Lead and motivate team effectively to ensure team engagement (R)
- Ensure company procedures understood and followed (A)
- Manage team performance to ensure business KPI’s are being achieved ( to include performance management, mentoring, coaching and developing employees (R)
- Communicate effectively with team (A)
- Be an exemplar of communication, particularly through change and daily briefing processes (R)
- Carry out observation audits on standard working practices to ensure compliance (R)
- Assist in executing training plan and developing people to achieve the required skills matrices (A)
- Investigate in a timely manner any people or procedural issues which are not compliant with the company handbook or any other rules and deliver findings to manager (R)
- Ensure compliance of company HR processes within local process area (A)
- Support in driving cultural change, in line with business values and the customer expectations (R)
Background & Experience:
- HGV / Heavy Plant Fitting experience (preferable)
- Previous experience in rail or automotive industry (preferable)
- Proven people management experience
- Experience of leading small group activities to drive improvement ideas
- Computer literate (experience in the use of MS Applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) / ERP (Essential)
- Experience in implementing lean manufacturing techniques
- Knowledge of Health & Safety legislation including ISO14001 and responsibilities
What could you accomplish in a place that puts People First?
At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other.
If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place fo