Production and Process Improvement Manager

Elephants Foot is seeking a hands-on and improvement-focused Production & Process Improvement Manager to lead our manufacturing workshop and help modernise the way we plan, produce, track, inspect, pack, and deliver finished goods to join our Sydney-based engineering team.

This role requires more than day-to-day production supervision; we are looking for someone with an engineering, manufacturing, or technical background who can combine day-to-day production leadership with process improvement, workflow optimisation, quality enhancement, and modern production planning.

The successful candidate will take ownership of workshop performance while actively identifying better ways to manufacture, organise, report, and improve our operations.

About the Role

You will be responsible for managing daily production activities across fabrication, welding, painting, assembly, packing, and dispatch preparation. You will also play a key role in improving production systems, workshop layout, quality of finished goods, planning discipline, live reporting, project board accuracy, and overall manufacturing efficiency.

We are looking for someone who does not simply wait for instructions, but actively brings ideas, recommendations, and practical solutions to improve the business.

This is a full-time role located in Sydney.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage daily workshop operations, including fabrication, welding, painting, assembly, packing, and preparation for dispatch.

• Plan, prioritise, and coordinate production work based on project requirements, delivery dates, and installation priorities.

• Keep the production/project board accurate, current, and reliable as a live source of truth.

• Improve workflow, workshop layout, material flow, and job sequencing.

• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce rework, delays, double handling, and production bottlenecks.

• Recommend and assist with jig, fixture, tooling, and workstation improvements.

• Monitor and improve quality of finished goods, including welding, paint finish, assembly quality, packaging, and presentation.

• Work with engineering and design teams to provide manufacturing feedback and support DFM improvements.

• Improve packing list processes, dispatch preparation, labelling, and job completion documentation.

• Support improvements in shop air quality, paint quality, housekeeping, and workshop safety.

• Develop and maintain practical production reporting, live dashboards, and performance tracking.

• Lead and support production staff, including welders, painters, assemblers, labourers, and operators.

• Monitor production capacity, workload, overtime requirements, labour utilisation, and resource planning.

• Promote a culture of ownership, accountability, quality, safety, and continuous improvement

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will have:

• Background in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, production engineering, or a similar technical discipline.

• Experience managing a workshop, fabrication environment, manufacturing team, or production operation.

• Strong understanding of fabrication, welding, painting, assembly, material handling, and production workflow.

• Ability to read and understand engineering drawings.

• Experience improving manufacturing processes, quality systems, workshop layout, jigs, fixtures, and production planning.

• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple jobs at different stages.

• Good communication skills and confidence dealing with engineering, production, operations, procurement, and project teams.

• Practical, hands-on approach with the ability to make improvements that work in a real workshop environment.

• Confidence using modern tools such as Excel, Microsoft Lists, Teams, project boards, ERP/MRP systems, Power BI, or similar reporting platforms.

• A proactive mindset and willingness to challenge inefficient processes respectfully and constructively.

Highly Regarded

• Tertiary qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field.

• Experience with sheet metal, steel fabrication, waste equipment, mechanical equipment, or custom manufacturing.

• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, production dashboards, visual management boards, or live reporting.

• Lean manufacturing, 5S, continuous improvement, or quality improvement experience.

• Experience improving paint processes, air quality, packaging, dispatch, and workshop layout.

Personal Attributes

• Practical and hands-on.

• Organised and disciplined.

• Improvement-focused.

• Technically curious.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Able to lead workshop teams respectfully but firmly.

• Able to work with both tradespeople and engineers.

• Comfortable taking ownership and making recommendations.

• Not afraid to suggest better ways of doing things.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to step into a key role and help shape the next stage of our manufacturing operation. You will have the chance to modernise production planning, improve workflow, lift finished goods quality, introduce better reporting, and make visible improvements across the workshop.

If you are a production leader with an engineering mindset and a passion for improving how things are made, we would like to hear from you.

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How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your production related experience and examples of process improvements you have implemented.