Technical Manager - Injection Moulding and Tooling

£Competive DOE

West Sussex

Benefits: Health Care, Profit Share

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MDE are hiring a Technical Manager to support an established and highly successful trade injection moulding business in West Sussex. The company specialises in injection moulding and assembly, focusing on single-use products. 

Job Summary:

The Technical Manager will be responsible for Toolroom Operations as well as support and lead the Moulding Production team. The Moulding Production team consists of 21 employees working across day and night shifts. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning and organising the Class 8 cleanroom mould shop, which houses 12 injection mould machines ranging from 25 to 220 tonnes, including Fanuc, Engel, and Boy equipment. This role includes managing the team, ensuring health and safety compliance, tooling maintenance and servicing, and maintaining high production standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Team and Production Management:

• Oversee day-to-day activities of the Moulding Production team.
• Manage team performance, including training, health and safety, sickness, and holidays.
• Liaise with other management members to address and resolve production issues.
• Collaborate with the Managing Director to deliver and execute the Mouldshop improvement plan.
• Enhance efficiency of the production team through regular coaching.

Tooling Management:

• Supervise all mould tooling maintenance and servicing, liaising with external tooling suppliers.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for new and existing customers regarding tooling enquiries.
• Manage quotations and suppliers for new tools and tooling repairs.
• Expedite tooling from suppliers and ensure timely delivery.

Quality and Compliance:

• Support quality management, waste reduction, and environmental sustainability targets.
• Ensure the production areas maintain required certifications.
• Collaborate with the group Health & Safety Manager to meet health and safety obligations.

Project and Process Improvement:

• Collaborate on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) for new components and tooling.
• Implement lean techniques (e.g., 5S) to improve production processes.
• Reduce and maintain low scrap levels in production.
• Ensure production dates and deadlines are met.

Customer Relations:

• Maintain strong customer relationship management and handle inquiries professionally.
• Travel to customer sites if required.

Qualifications and Skills:

Education:

• Time served experience with Toolmaking, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in injection moulding tooling management and/or Manufacturing
• Proven experience in a leadership role within an injection moulding company.

Skills:

• Proficient in lean techniques (5S).
• Excellent knowledge of injection mould tooling, tool making, tooling suppliers, and the plastics industry.
• Proficient in CAD software and project planning tools.
• Strong computer skills, including the ability to read and write CAD data, project planning, and email communication.
• Effective customer relationship management and phone manner.
• Full driving licence and ability to travel to customer sites.

Training:

• Full training on the company's internal systems and programmes.
• Product training in each of the production areas.
• Opportunity to work alongside the existing Mouldshop Manager during their ramp down until their retirement.

Work Environment:

• Office setting with frequent visits to the production floor.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment.

Other company details:

• Office hours: Monday to Thursday, 8am-5pm; Friday, 8am-1:30pm.
• 28 days paid holiday per year (including bank holidays), increasing to 33 days after a 6-month probationary period.