Head of Production
Posted on:
April 17, 2026
Job description
OVERVIEW OF ROLE
Based in Botany, you will lead multiple teams responsible for manufacturing of electro-mechanical devices. You will ensure all outputs meet customer demand, quality standards, labor cost targets, lead time targets and safety requirements.
Responsibilities
Key priorities
Production capacity: ensure necessary Australian installed capacity to supply complex sub-assemblies to all regional manufacturing hubs as well as finished goods for the APAC region and provide global surge capacity of finished goods.
NPI & Transfer: partner with R&D and Production Engineering to ensure products and processes are ready for transfer to regional manufacturing hubs.
Approach: balance strategic planning with hands-on leadership using a data-driven, communicative style.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Team Leadership & Culture
Lead the recruitment, onboarding, production training and professional development of the Australian Production teams.
Build a high-performance culture aligned with company values, ensuring team skills evolve alongside product complexity and volume.
Operational Execution
Production Delivery: Execute the production schedule to ensure high-quality products are delivered on time and within budget.
Planning Partnership: Collaborate with the Supply Chain Planner to align floor capacity with inventory strategy and customer demand.
Resource Management: Manage the daily availability and proper storage of production equipment; coordinate with Engineering to ensure calibration and preventative maintenance schedules are met without disrupting output.
Data & Continuous Improvement
Own the accuracy of production data; measure and report weekly KPIs (e.g., yield, throughput, and labor efficiency).
Drive a "continuous improvement" mindset, using production metrics to identify and eliminate process waste using Lean Manufacturing methodologies
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Stakeholder Management: Provide transparent updates to Sales Ops, Engineering, and Leadership regarding lead times, supply risks, or technical delays.
Engineering Partnership: Work with Production Engineering to optimize workshop layouts and ensure New Product Introductions (NPI) are adequately resourced for volume and quality targets.
Safety & Compliance
Safety Leadership: Champion a "Safety First" culture, ensuring 100% compliance with HSE requirements and proactive hazard identification.
Strategic Growth
Business Evolution: Adapt team structures and processes as Advanced Navigation scales globally.
Organizational Literacy: Maintain a deep understanding of how Production integrates with R&D and Supply Chain to drive the company’s strategic vision.
Job requirements
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
5+ years in a senior Production Management or Operations Leadership role within a high-tech manufacturing environment.
Proven experience in COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) manufacturing, managing the transition from raw materials to complex finished electronics.
Demonstrated success in managing multi-site teams and delivering against rigorous global supply chain requirements.
Practical experience using tier-one ERP systems (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, or Salesforce) to drive production data integrity and scheduling.
Technical Knowledge & Standards
Quality Standards: In-depth knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 and IPC-A-610 standards to ensure electronics assembly meets global quality benchmarks.
Advanced Manufacturing: Direct exposure to robotics, automated test equipment, and high-precision assembly processes.
Safety & Compliance: Expert-level understanding of WHS/HSE practices and the ability to implement proactive safety cultures on the shop floor.
Leadership & Character Attributes
Strategic Execution: Strong analytical skills with the ability to manage high-volume data and oversee multiple, shifting project schedules simultaneously.
Decisive Leadership: A responsive and decisive disposition, with the ability to provide hands-on support while maintaining a strategic view of future capacity.
Operational Discipline: A high standard of attention to detail and a "follow-through" mindset, ensuring processes are not just started, but closed out and audited.
Communicator: The ability to translate complex production issues into clear updates for cross-functional stakeholders (Sales, Engineering, Executive).
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