Manufacturing Projects Manager

About Us

Founded in 1975 and headquartered just north-west of Cardiff, Sigma 3 Kitchens Ltd is a family-owned kitchen manufacturer, distributor and retailer with over 50 years of experience crafting high-quality kitchens. Today, it stands as the largest kitchen manufacturer in Wales, with a reputation built on exceptional product quality, craftsmanship and customer service.

Sigma 3 is proud to be the UK's most trusted kitchen retailer on Trustpilot, with an outstanding rating of 4.9 out of 5 from more than 2,600 verified customer reviews. This recognition reflects the company's unwavering commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience at every stage of the journey.

The business has undertaken a significant investment in a secondary manufacturing facility in Bridgend, alongside the modernisation of its existing factory in Llantrisant. Combined with continued investment in its people, systems and production capabilities, this expansion has effectively tripled manufacturing capacity, bringing total operational space to more than 200,000 square feet and reinforcing Sigma 3's position as a leading UK manufacturer.

Sigma 3 currently sells kitchens through six of its own retail showrooms across South Wales and in Esher, Surrey, while also supplying its national brand, Masterclass Kitchens, to over 160 independent retailers across the UK. In addition, the company partners with both boutique and national housebuilders throughout Wales and the South-West. Every kitchen is designed and manufactured in Wales, ensuring that the company's continued national success supports the local economy.

Role Purpose:

Leading the development and implementation of new products, manufacturing processes and production technologies across the business, with responsibility for how new products and manufacturing solutions are brought to life in the factory. Ensuring they can be manufactured safely, efficiently and consistently, while achieving the required standards of quality and cost.

Working collaboratively across Creative, Technical and Manufacturing teams to translate product concepts and strategic manufacturing opportunities into practical, scalable production solutions. Embedding safety, quality and efficiency from the outset, with risk identified, reduced and effectively controlled throughout development, implementation and ongoing operation.

Driving manufacturing innovation and continuous improvement to strengthen production capability, introduce new technologies and develop smarter, safer and more effective ways of working.

The Role:

Manufacturing Lead for New Product Development

• Work with the Creative Lead, Technical and Manufacturing teams and the sales channels to develop new products that build on the core competencies of the business and support sales growth.
• Determine how new products will be manufactured efficiently through the plants, considering process flow, quality, labour, capacity and cost.
• Where required, develop new processes; specify machinery and tooling; identify recruitment needs; train staff; and document agreed methods in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Act as the manufacturing lead for specific products, product enhancements and new product lines, including in-frame kitchens and bedroom furniture.
• Lead the teams through the set up and initial launch stage until comfortable that they are capable of delivery and supervision is in place to support
• Own the central question of how the business will make the products it develops.
• Ensure health and safety requirements are built into product and process design from the outset, completing suitable risk assessments and defining effective controls before trials, launch and handover.

Machinery Specification, Purchase and Fit-out

• Identify where new machinery could improve process speed, product quality and capacity, or reduce manufacturing cost.
• Specify the technical and operating requirements for proposed machinery and equipment.
• Work with the Manufacturing Director and CEO to evaluate options and support machinery purchasing decisions.
• Work as part of the implementation team to ensure correct site preparation, installation, commissioning and staff training.
• Confirm that installed machinery delivers the expected output, quality and operational benefits.
• Ensure machinery projects comply with applicable health and safety legislation and company standards, including guarding, safe access, extraction, isolation, ergonomics, maintenance requirements and documented risk assessment before operational acceptance.

Product Re-engineering

• Recommend changes to existing products that could improve manufacturing line speed, quality, consistency or cost.
• Work with Technical and Manufacturing teams to develop, test and implement agreed product changes.
• Monitor the operational outputs and savings achieved following implementation.
• Confirm that product changes do not introduce unacceptable health and safety risks, and update risk assessments, work instructions and controls before implementation.

Training and Development

• Work with the Manufacturing team to train and develop staff and improve the overall manufacturing skill set.
• Develop clear SOPs and supporting material so that improved methods can be trained and sustained consistently.
• Act as the functional manufacturing expert for new apprentices, supporting their technical development and progression through the business.
• Ensure staff receive suitable instruction, information, training and supervision for new or changed products, machinery and processes, with competence confirmed before independent working.

Process-line Improvement

• Evaluate current manufacturing processes and proactively identify opportunities to improve speed, flow, quality and cost.
• Develop improvement solutions which may include process changes, additional skills, technical product changes, re-routing products or investment in new machinery.
• Work with the relevant teams to trial, implement and embed improvements, and monitor the resulting operational and financial benefits.
• Use the guiding question: "How can we build our products faster, with no drop in quality?"
• Apply the hierarchy of controls when improving production lines, investigate relevant hazards, near misses and incidents, and ensure productivity gains never compromise employee safety or statutory compliance.
• Lead improvement projects with a measurable objective, a named owner, a clear sequence of tasks and an agreed timetable for each milestone and the final outcome.
• Allocate responsibilities, secure the necessary resources, monitor progress, coordinate contributors and communicate status, risks and outcomes to everyone affected.

Vertical Integration

• Support the business strategy to manufacture more of the products and components it sells.
• Work with the CEO, Manufacturing Director and Manufacturing Management Team to identify opportunities for vertical integration and gross-margin capture.
• Assess capability, machinery, skills, capacity, quality, cost and commercial benefit, and support approved projects through development and implementation.
• Include health and safety due diligence in vertical-integration assessments, covering materials, substances, equipment, layout, handling, fire risk, environmental controls and the competence needed for safe operation.

Key Behaviours:

Hands-on and Operationally Focused

• Maintains a visible presence in Manufacturing, stays close to activity and acts early when issues arise.

Commercially Minded

• Balances safety, quality, cost, capacity and risk to make sound, practical decisions.

Collaborative and Influential

• Builds strong relationships, develops others and creates commitment around shared objectives.

Safety and Quality Focused

• Sets high standards, challenges unsafe practices and ensures effective corrective action.

Improvement Driven

• Continually seeks smarter, safer and more efficient ways of working, delivering measurable improvement.

Acts with Pace

• Creates momentum, removes barriers and delivers agreed actions quickly without compromising safety, quality or control.

Organised and Accountable

• Plans effectively, maintains a strong grip on priorities and takes ownership for delivery.

Skills and Experience:

• Strong manufacturing, process or production engineering experience, ideally within kitchens, furniture, joinery or wood-based manufacturing.
• Experience of new product industrialisation and Design for Manufacture.
• Experience specifying, evaluating, installing or commissioning capital equipment.
• Demonstrable record of improving manufacturing productivity, quality, capacity or cost.
• Ability to develop technical specifications, business cases, SOPs and training materials.
• Strong project management, problem-solving, communication and data-analysis skills.
• Experience of CNC, cutting, edging, drilling, assembly, automation or integrated manufacturing systems would be advantageous.
• A relevant engineering or manufacturing qualification is desirable; substantial practical experience will also be considered.
• Sound working knowledge of manufacturing health and safety requirements, including risk assessment, machinery safety, safe systems of work and relevant controls such as PUWER, COSHH and manual handling.
• Demonstrable ability to lead cross-functional projects through clear objectives, detailed plans, delegated ownership, progress control and timely stakeholder communication.

This list of duties is not exhaustive and may be varied from time to time in line with business needs.