Production Director | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | Retained Search | Elevation Recruitment Group
The Opportunity
Elevation Recruitment Group is retained exclusively by a well-established heavy industrial manufacturing business in Sheffield to appoint a Production Director. This is a senior leadership role with full operational accountability across four manufacturing sites, a seat on the Senior Leadership Team and a direct reporting line to the Managing Director. This is not a desk-based role. The business values visible, present leadership and expects its Production Director to be active within the operation, known on the shop floor and trusted by the teams they lead.
The Business
Our client has a strong regional heritage and operates in a demanding, process-driven manufacturing environment with a substantial production workforce across multiple sites. The business is now in a period of deliberate growth investment, including the launch of a new facility, and requires a leader who can match that ambition with operational discipline and delivery.
The Role
As Production Director, you will take full operational accountability across all four sites, directly managing three senior leaders whilst shaping production strategy at the most senior level of the business. Your key responsibilities will include:
*Full ownership of production output across four manufacturing sites, delivered safely, on time and within cost
*Driving Customer On Time In Full (OTIF) as the primary operational metric
*Leading the setup and ramp-up of a new manufacturing facility to full production capability
*Embedding scalable systems, standard operating procedures and robust production processes across the group
*Driving lean manufacturing principles and a continuous improvement culture across all sites
*Managing operational KPIs including OEE, cost control, scrap reduction and plant utilisation
*Building a safety-first culture and ensuring full compliance with Health and Safety legislation
*Developing and holding to account three senior operational leaders
The Person
To be considered for this Production Director role in Sheffield, you will bring credibility, commercial awareness and a demonstrable track record of delivery in complex, heavy industrial or metals-based manufacturing environments. You must be able to demonstrate:
*Senior operational leadership experience at Production Director, Operations Director or Head of Operations level
*A background in heavy industrial or process-led manufacturing environments, ideally within metals processing
*Proven multi-site operational management experience
*Measurable improvements in productivity, efficiency and on-time delivery
*A strong track record of building and developing senior operational leadership teams
*Success implementing structured production processes and driving continuous improvement at scale
*Confidence using data, KPIs and operational reporting to drive performance and accountability
You will be equally comfortable challenging standards on the shop floor as you are contributing to strategic decisions at Senior Leadership Team level. You will know how to build capability, develop succession and create a culture where high standards and accountability are the norm.
About Elevation Recruitment Group
Elevation Recruitment Group is a specialist recruitment consultancy based in Yorkshire, with deep expertise in Leadership, Engineering and Manufacturing appointments across the region. We are committed to making recruitment more human, more transparent and more effective for both clients and candidates.
Interested?
Elevation Recruitment Group is proud to exclusively manage this Production Director appointment in Sheffield on behalf of our client. If you are ready to take genuine ownership, lead with purpose and make a measurable difference in a business investing in its future, we would welcome a conversation. Please note that Elevation Recruitment Group holds exclusive mandate for this appointment and all third-party approaches or direct candidate referrals from other agencies will be directed to Elevation and will not attract agency fees.