Production Controller/ Account Manager

Position: Production Controller / Account Manager
Location: North West
Salary: £30k - £32K

The Company:  My Client is a B2 and Digital printing company based in the North West who are currently turning over 3 million and employ 32 people. The company has been a successful business for many years and understands frustrations people can have across the floor with production and support. This is why they take pride in providing a smooth production line, by recruiting skilled people who can ensure their quality is up there against competition. 

The Role:
•    Convert confirmed orders into practical production plans with the correct route, sequence, capacity, materials, outwork and delivery milestones.
•    Maintain a realistic schedule across pre-press, printing, finishing and despatch, resolving clashes and escalating capacity risks early.
•    Monitor live jobs, identify slippage or constraints and coordinate recovery actions while protecting quality, customer commitments and margin.
•    Review estimates, job specifications, selling prices and expected margins before release; challenge missing, inconsistent or commercially weak information.
•    Use Tharstern confidently for estimating and estimate review, job creation, production routes, purchasing, scheduling, job costing, WIP and management reporting.
•    Maintain accurate job statuses, dates, quantities, specifications, purchase orders and notes so that colleagues can rely on the system.
•    Raise and manage purchase orders for paper, board, consumables
•    Select appropriate suppliers, obtain competitive quotations where required working alongside Commercial Administrator
•    Resolve supplier discrepancies and ensure purchase costs are correctly recorded against the relevant estimate or job.
•    Build strong working relationships with Sales, Client Services, Studio, Production, Warehouse, Despatch, Finance and external suppliers.
•    Communicate priorities, decisions, changes and risks clearly and promptly; say no where necessary, but provide a workable alternative.
•    Confirm that customer SLAs and requested dates are achievable before commitment and support clear updates when circumstances change.
•    Follow company workflows and documented procedures, including applicable ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO27001 and health & safety requirements.
•    Check that job information, production instructions, and purchasing records are complete and appropriately filed.
•    Provide commercial and operational cover for agreed colleagues, sharing knowledge and maintaining continuity during absence or peak demand.

Requirements:
•    Practical experience in a commercial print, packaging, direct mail or related manufacturing environment.
•    Sound understanding of estimating, production planning, materials, outwork, job costing and margin control; proficient in Tharstern MIS 
•    Competent with Excel, operational reporting and supplier management, including resolving production or commercial discrepancies.
•    Commercial judgement and attention to detail without losing sight of delivery priorities.
•    Clear, confident communication and the ability to influence colleagues across functions.
•    Calm problem-solving, reliable follow-through and adaptability under pressure; trusted with commercially sensitive information.