Production Supervisor / Antrim

Job Description

VANRATH are delighted to be assisting a Major Client with the Recruitment of a Production Supervisor 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

''5*'s for Vanrath. They found me a suitable agency post right away, it was a great fit, now I have got the job permanently! Very personable and knowledgeable to deal with and always took the time to understand and help out. Extremely professional service all round.''

''I contacted Vanrath after being laid off by my previous employer. They were fantastic to deal with and found me the perfect role that matched my skill set and experience and within a day or two had an interview lined up. Within the same week I was made a job offer which I happily accepted. So thankful that I contacted Vanrath. Couldn't have asked for a quicker and more professional service.''

''My experience with Vanrath has been so positive. They were very professional but friendly at the same time. The whole process has been excellent and I've secured a job that I really wanted. I wouldn't hesitate to go through Vanrath again in future as there was no waiting about and they continually kept me updated throughout. Thanks so much again.''