Production Manager

Location: Mt Lyford, Canterbury
Reports to: Managing Director
Employment: Full-time

About the Role
Rodin Cars is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead and strengthen manufacturing operations at our Mt Lyford facility. As Rodin transitions from predominantly one-off development and prototype activity into repeatable production, we need someone who can bring structure, discipline, visibility and accountability to the factory. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for ensuring we deliver high-quality products on time, in full and at the right cost. Working closely with our Project Operations Lead, Engineering and department leads, you will translate project priorities into achievable production plans and ensure those plans are delivered across Additive, Machining, Assembly, Composites and other manufacturing functions. This role is focused on factory execution, production control and continuous improvement.

What You'll Be Responsible For:

Production Planning & Delivery

• Develop and manage production plans and schedules aligned with project milestones.
• Lead daily and weekly production meetings and drive actions through to completion.
• Coordinate manufacturing activity across multiple departments.
• Monitor WIP and ensure jobs progress efficiently through production.
• Identify capacity constraints, delays and resource conflicts before they impact delivery.
• Drive accountability for agreed production dates and outputs.
• Ensure the right people, materials and resources are available to meet production requirements.

Epicor & Production Systems
A major part of this role will be driving the effective use of Epicor ERP across manufacturing. You will help establish Epicor as the primary source of production information and ensure the effective management of:

• BOMs and routings
• Work orders and jobs
• Production scheduling
• Labour capture
• Inventory and WIP
• Capacity planning
• Production reporting

You will work closely with Engineering, Finance and department leads to ensure manufacturing information is accurate, maintained and consistently used. Strong Epicor manufacturing experience will be a significant advantage.

Process & Continuous Improvement
You will help Rodin establish repeatable, controlled manufacturing processes as production volumes increase. This includes:

• Identifying bottlenecks, inefficiencies and recurring production issues.
• Improving workflows and handovers between departments.
• Reducing rework, delays, waste and avoidable cost.
• Establishing clear ownership and accountability throughout production.
• Driving practical continuous improvement across the factory.

Production Performance
You will establish and report meaningful production KPIs covering areas such as: Safety | Quality | On-time Delivery | Cost | Productivity | WIP | Rework | Capacity | Production Efficiency. A key measure of success will be providing senior management with clear visibility of production status, risks and exceptions without requiring day-to-day involvement in individual jobs.

Quality
Working closely with Quality Assurance, you will ensure quality is built into the manufacturing process rather than relying solely on final inspection. You will:

• Ensure production meets required quality standards.
• Drive timely resolution of NCRs and corrective actions affecting production.
• Support manufacturing traceability, documentation and sign-off requirements.
• Strengthen production controls as manufacturing volumes increase.

Quality Assurance remains an independent function responsible for quality systems, compliance, auditing and verification.

Leadership
This role requires someone comfortable being visible and hands-on within the factory. You will:

• Provide strong day-to-day production leadership.
• Hold department leads accountable for agreed commitments.
• Build a culture of ownership, communication and continuous improvement.
• Develop production capability as manufacturing volumes increase.
• Maintain a safe, organised and professional manufacturing environment.

In your cover letter, please tell us what interests you about production management at Rodin Cars, where you are currently based, and why your experience and approach make you well suited to this role. Rodin Cars are an Accredited Employer and will consider applicants who currently live and reside out of New Zealand. Relocation and visa support considered.