Knitwear Production Manager

Due to continued expansion of the business, we are looking for a Knitwear Production Manager to join our make up team at Hawick Mill.

Responsible to:          Operations Director

Main Purpose:           Responsible for the management and successful performance of make up areas within the Hawick business. To achieve the agreed production output targets, at optimum efficiency and cost, whilst adhering to the specifications and quality standards set by the company.

This is a permanent role working 39 hours per week, Monday to Thursday 7am – 4pm and Friday 7am – 12pm. Salary starting from £35,000 per annum dependent on experience.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Working closely with the Operations Director to provide a continuous improvement culture within the organization.  Maintain and review records of output, quality, budget performance.
• Provide leadership/strategic direction to the wider management/supervisory team ensuring the maximization of production efficiency by improving unit costs, improved production unit throughput, minimizing overtime costs and absence to within agreed levels.
• In conjunction with managers, ensure skills, production, attendance, behaviours, attitudes and adherence to general company rules are at all times at a good and acceptable standard.
• Develop a good team spirit through regular effective communications with staff – ensure Whiteboard meetings are carried out effectively.
• Working with Other Department Managers to :
  • Reduce the number of rejects in each area
  • Work closely to improve efficiencies and methods of working
  • Encourage input from staff on best working practices to get jobs done with maximum output and minimum costs
  • Ensure all staff are aware of priorities and plan workload accordingly
• Ensure production processes are properly planned and resourced to meet prototype, bulk, PPT and production targets and ensure the remainder of production meets required deadlines.
• Work closely with Planning Team to ensure the above points are achieved and that there is always an awareness, using available reports, of what the forward load is including work not yet issued, to allow any forward planning required to take place.
• Ensure Yarn stocks are received, controlled and returned in accordance with agreed procedures.
• Yarn Waste – ensure all waste is recorded and dealt with in an efficient manner to recover costs where possible.  Work towards a reduction in weekly waste level by promoting “right first time” values.
• Continue to build on and use current data collection and utilizing knitting machine monitoring system, provide continuous improvement proposals.
• Ensuring that weekly targets are met in the available hours, maximizing efficiency including but not exhaustive to all trims knitted on time to ensure no delays in work moving forward.

People

• Overall management responsibility for all the department, including supervisors and production workers

• Develop departmental and individual training plans to ensure optimization of the departmental resource but with the objective of having a fully multi-skilled staff pool
  • With the company’s expansion into Whole Garment technology, proper structured training plans need to be put in place to allow further expansion so that all operators are trained to the correct standard and can run all machines.
• Monitor and evaluate training/multi skilling progress.

Quality Control

• Work closely with Quality, Technical and Sample Room Managers and their teams to promote constant improvement in quality standards.
• Ensure all knitting departments maintain and implement the company’s quality procedures and processes at all times to deliver a total quality product and service to the customer both internally and externally, whilst improving the “right first time” culture and reducing the cost of quality issues.
• Work with the Technical Manager to offer input to problem solving with technical issues.
• Working closely with 4 Pillars Projects (Continuous Improvement).
• Keep up to date with ISO/Quality SOP’s and ensure any non-conformances are dealt with quickly and efficiently, ensure that the NC log (root & branch) is maintained correctly and leads to improvement.

Teamwork / Communications

• Effectively involve and utilise each team member to his / her fullest potential.
• Motivate team to work together in the most efficient manner for the needs of the business.
• Plan and facilitate effective and regular team meetings to ensure delivery of tasks to set timescales.
• Challenge others to develop as leaders while serving as a role model and mentor.
• Regular White Board Sessions.
• Personal Development Reviews (PDR).  

About You

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Experience supervising or managing a team in a knitwear production environment
• Extensive knitwear production experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong leadership and team building skills.
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles/six Sigma methodology
• Able to work independently and be able to take the initiative in problem solving.
• Strong organisational and time management skills and with ability to prioritise a demanding workload

Don’t meet every requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single requirement or qualification. At Johnstons of Elgin, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but think your experience doesn’t align perfectly with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

About Us

Founded in 1797, Johnstons of Elgin is an innovative, luxury clothing brand celebrating 225 years of experience in working with the world’s finest fibres. Across three centuries, our family-owned company has carefully sources cashmere and fine woollen fibres from around the world, applying the latest technology and highest quality craft expertise in our very own vertical Scottish mills. Employing over 1,000 staff, our valued employees and communities are at the heart of everything we do, producing unique, high-quality designs that are made to last. Our brand is focused on sustainability, working with natural, renewable, and biodegradable fibres and we are committed to maintaining a minimal environmental footprint.

Johnstons of Elgin is proud to be an equal opportunity employer wholeheartedly supporting the principles of equality and diversity to build an inclusive workforce. Our aim is to embed diversity and inclusion in everything we do to create an environment where our employees feel safe to be their whole authentic self without having to downplay or change parts of their identity. We celebrate diversity in all its forms, which goes beyond those characteristics protected by law to include everything that makes us unique, from our backgrounds and experiences to our personalities and ways of thinking.

We endeavour to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and encourage any candidate who requires assistance to contact us at hr@johnstonsofelgin.com.

Please note all applicants must be able to provide evidence of their right to remain and take up paid employment in country job is based.