Foreman/Assistant Production Manager

The Assistant Production Manager (2IC) supports the Production Manager in ensuring that our manufacturing processes run reliably and efficiently through planning, coordinating, and controlling the production process. They are responsible for providing creative and technical input to establish appropriate build designs and construction approaches, helping to successfully translate creative concepts into practical workshop execution, while assisting in ensuring projects are produced on time, within budget, and to a high standard of quality. The Assistant Production Manager acts as a leader who maintains stellar organisation, clear communication, and steadfast composure under tight timelines and pressure. By adapting dynamically to build changes while fiercely protecting delivery deadlines, this role fosters a highly motivational, safe, and collaborative environment. This role suits an individual who takes pride and ownership of delegated tasks, coordinates floor operations, and effectively balances creative problem-solving with workshop practicalities. 

You can view our services and product at: https://www.alchemyco.com.au/

Key Factors of the Role:

• Carpentry and Advanced Fabrication: Proven hands-on experience in trade carpentry, joinery, and custom set construction, with the ability to work expertly with timber and various structural materials.

• Leadership: Natural leadership capability to supervise junior staff, brief building crews, and lift the floor's overall technical execution. Steadfast commitment to establishing and maintaining Work, Health, and Safety (WHS) compliance, ensuring the workshop remains clean, tidy, and safe at all times.

• Quality Control and Finishing Oversight: An exceptional eye for detail with a commitment to enforcing strict quality gates before projects transition between departments.

• Creativity and Innovation: Bringing technical ingenuity to creative briefs to find the smartest, most impactful build methodologies.  

• Stellar Organisation and Communication: Keeping schedules visible and lines of communication clear between design, project management, and the floor.  

• Production Workflow and Resource Management:  Demonstrated ability to map out and coordinate multi-phase production schedules, including tracking of time, materials, and consumables and managing inventory and stock.

• Flexibility and Timeliness: Adapting dynamically to build changes while fiercely protecting delivery deadlines.  

• Steadfast Composure: Maintaining a grounded, solution-oriented attitude under tight timelines and pressure. 

Key responsibilities:

• Technical Design and Build Approach (Creative Input)

• Coordinate and liaise with Project Managers and the Design team to interpret client briefs, renders, and initial concepts.  

• Provide expert creative and technical input during pre-production to establish the most appropriate build design, material selections, and joinery approaches.  

• Assist in developing accurate technical drawings and workshop documentation to ensure the successful production of custom elements.  

• Troubleshoot complex construction and fabrication solutions before projects hit the floor, creating material prototypes or mock-ups where required.  

• Work closely with the CAD and CNC departments, advising on programming capabilities to optimise component manufacturing. 

• Floor Coordination and Production Scheduling

• Participate in daily WIP meetings with the Production Manager to plan daily tasks for all builders, trades, and craftspeople.  

• Assist in creating, executing, and monitoring detailed production schedules to maintain clear accessibility and visibility of deadlines.  

• Oversee day-to-day workshop processes, monitoring productivity rates and tracking that time and materials accurately follow job sheets.  

• Coordinate material procurement, track stock levels, manage workshop consumables, and ensure all necessary plant machinery is well-maintained.

• Hands-on Carpentry and Fabrication  

• Interpret complex build drawings to execute precise structural layouts and set configurations directly on the workshop floor.

• Utilise plant machinery safely and proficiently, including table saws, drop saws, docking saws, and standard hand tools to manipulate timber and alternative materials.

• Perform direct fabrication and assembly of custom components for the active production line to high visual and physical specifications.

• Regularly maintain, clean, and service workshop tools and machinery to ensure operational longevity, safety, and workspace organisation.

• Quality Control and Product Finishing

• Establish and enforce strict "quality gates," ensuring that all structural builds are totally complete, accurate, and verified against drawings before handing them over to logistics.  

• Oversee product finishing activities, including scenic painting production, large-format printing, and graphics application, ensuring premium results. 

• Team Leadership and WHS Compliance

• Act as the 2IC to the Production Manager, supervising junior staff, sharing expert fabrication knowledge, and mentoring the production team.