PRODUCTION MANAGER ASSISTANT
Wire & Fencing Manufacturing Plant
Reports to: Production Manager
Supervises: Production Supervisors, and through them Machine Operators, Line Attendants and General Workers
Works with: Maintenance, Quality Control, Logistics, Stores, Safety Officer
POSITION IN THE STRUCTURE
- Sits between the Production Manager and the Supervisors / floor staff
- Acts as the Production Manager's second-in-command for the section
- Stands in for the Production Manager whenever they are absent
- Is being developed to move into a Production Manager position
PURPOSE OF THE JOB
- Assist the Production Manager with the day-to-day running of the section
- Keep production flowing, targets met and quality holding
- Manage the section through the supervisors, and be visible on the floor
- Take full operational responsibility for the section when the Production Manager is away
- Build the experience and competence to run a section outright
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Production planning and execution
- Assist in planning daily, weekly and monthly production schedules
- Monitor machine uptime and coordinate changeovers, coil loading and line setups
- Ensure production targets are met — tons/day, rolls/day, units/day
- Confirm raw material and consumables are available before the shift starts, not after the line stops
- Report delays, bottlenecks and equipment downtime immediately
2. Quality control
- Ensure wire diameter, zinc coating, mesh dimensions and product specifications comply with SANS standards
- Ensure first-off samples are checked and approved on every product changeover
- Work with QC to address non-conformance, rejects and scrap
- Investigate quality deviations and see corrective actions through to closure
- Do not release product for despatch that has not been signed off
3. Managing the supervisors and the workforce
- Direct and support the Production Supervisors on shift
- Hold supervisors accountable for output, quality, safety and discipline on their lines
- Allocate manpower across the section according to production priorities
- Ensure shift handovers are done properly — what ran, what stopped, what is outstanding
- Step in directly on the floor when a supervisor is absent or a problem needs a higher hand
- Ensure operators are trained on safe machine operation and work instructions
- Monitor attendance, timekeeping and performance across the section
- Handle discipline that falls above the supervisors' level and escalate serious matters to the Production Manager
4. Health, safety and environment
- Ensure safety guards, interlocks and emergency stops are functioning before the line runs
- Enforce PPE use and safe working procedures — no exceptions, no matter the production pressure
- Report incidents and near-misses, and assist with investigations
- Ensure toolbox talks happen and are properly recorded
- Drive housekeeping and compliance with OHS Act requirements
5. Equipment and process monitoring
- Monitor mechanical descaling units, drawing blocks, galvanising lines, fencing weavers, compactors, barbed wire machines and related equipment
- Act on reports of abnormal noise, overheating, vibration, lubrication issues and wear
- Log breakdowns, set repair priorities and coordinate with technicians and artisans
- Ensure machines are released for planned preventative maintenance rather than run to failure
6. Data, reporting and administration
- Compile and check daily production reports — manhours, tonnage, scrap, downtime, rejects
- Track KPIs: manhours per ton, overtime, scrap and reject rates, line efficiency, machine uptime
- Record material usage — wire rod, zinc, gas, dies, spares
- Ensure traceability documentation is completed and accurate
- Assist with stock counts and month-end reporting
7. Process improvement
- Identify inefficiencies and propose improvements to workflow, line speed and setup times
- Assist with cost saving, quality improvement and productivity projects
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives (5S, Lean, SMED)
8. Standing in for the Production Manager
- Take full operational responsibility for the section when the Production Manager is absent
- Represent the section in production planning and management meetings
- Make operational decisions within delegated authority
- Escalate anything outside that authority — safety incidents, major quality failures, customer complaints — directly to the Plant Manager
9. Own development
- Work to a development plan agreed with the Production Manager and Plant Manager
- Build competence across every process and product line in the section, not just the ones they came up on
- Spend structured time with Quality, Maintenance and Planning to understand how the section connects to the rest of the plant
- Take on delegated management tasks — budgets, reporting, planning — with increasing independence
- Be assessed against readiness for a Production Manager position
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- Matric (NQF4)
- Technical qualification or trade an advantage — Mechanical, Electrical or Industrial
- 2–3 years production experience in manufacturing, including supervisory experience; wire industry an advantage
- Knowledge of galvanising, wire drawing or steel processing beneficial
- Computer literate — MS Excel essential
- Willing to work shifts, weekends and overtime when required
KEY COMPETENCIES
- Able to manage through supervisors, not around them — supports them in front of their teams and corrects them in private
- Credible on the floor: knows the machines and the product well enough to be respected by the people running them
- High attention to detail, especially on quality and safety
- Good problem-solving ability
- Handles pressure in a fast-paced environment
- Understands mechanical equipment and basic troubleshooting
- Communicates clearly with operators, artisans and management
- Reliable, disciplined, and takes responsibility — including for mistakes
Ambitious and coachable — this role is a stepping stone, and the person must want the step.
Work Location: In person
