Production Supervisor

Job Description

VANRATH are delighted to be assisting a Major Client with the Recruitment of a Line Leader based in their Antrim Offices.

Job Role: Production Supervisor

Location: Antrim, Steeple Road Site
Shift Pattern:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7am -4:30pm / 7-1:15pm Friday
Contract: Full‑time, permanent, 40 hours per week
Salary: £15.50 per hour

About
This Company is one of the UK & Ireland's leading manufacturers of PVC‑U windows, doors and building products, is expanding its high‑performance production facility in Antrim. We're looking for a hands‑on Production Supervisor to lead a busy shift team and help us maintain the quality, efficiency and safety standards.

The Role

  • Lead a shift team of 15-25 operators across glass‑cutting, toughening, laminating and insulated‑glass‑unit (IGU) assembly lines, ensuring safe, efficient flow from raw sheet to finished sealed units.
  • Plan daily glass‑cut lists and furnace loads using our optimisation software, balancing yield, cycle time and energy consumption while meeting OTIF targets.
  • Control critical process parameters (edge deletion depth, furnace temperature profiles, spacer application, gas‑fill levels) and intervene quickly to prevent quality escapes.
  • Monitor KPIs such as breakage rate, reject % by defect code, OEE and labour utilisation; launch 5 Why / fish‑bone investigations and Kaizen events to drive scrap reduction.
  • Champion H&S in a high‑risk environment: enforce hot‑glass, manual‑handling and crane‑lifting procedures; deliver toolbox talks on safe edge‑working and PPE compliance; uphold ISO 45001 standards.
  • Quality assurance: sign off first‑article samples, oversee destructive testing (e.g., soak‑test on tempered units), and liaise with QA on EN 1279 & BS EN 12150 conformity.
  • Coordinate with Maintenance & Engineering for furnace calibrations, autoclave checks and downtime recovery; support new glass‑technology introductions (e.g., warm‑edge spacer lines, low‑E coatings).
  • Provide clear shift handovers and production reports, highlighting throughput, defects, downtime causes and corrective actions; coach and develop team members with skills matrices and PDPs.

About You

  • Proven experience supervising a manufacturing/assembly team (plastics, window & door, FMCG or similar high‑volume environment).
  • Solid understanding of lean manufacturing tools and production KPIs.
  • Strong people‑management, communication and conflict‑resolution skills.
  • Working knowledge of H&S and quality standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001).
  • IT‑confident: able to use production tracking systems and MS Office.
  • Flexibility to work a rotating shift pattern (early/late) and occasional weekend overtime.
  • NVQ Level 3/ONC in Engineering/Manufacturing, or equivalent experience. IOSH Managing Safely is desirable.

For more information on this role please click apply and we will reach out to you confidentially.

INDPD

'Excellent recruitment service. VANRATH helped me secure a new role within days of first contact and the team couldn't be more helpful and responsive since I began my new position. Would highly recommend that anyone looking for employment registers with VANRATH as they are head and shoulders above other agencies that I have dealt with.

''I very much enjoyed my experience with VANRATH. They were great to work with, very friendly and efficient and streamlined everything for me so I had the least amount of stress as I went in for interviews. Looking forward to starting in my new role!''

''Had a great experience with Vanrath. Being new to Northern Ireland, they made me feel very welcome. The team provided lots of tips and support for job opportunities. Would thoroughly recommend the Vanrath team!''