Joinery Department Manager

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Joinery Department Manager to lead a high-volume timber manufacturing department within a well-established shopfitting environment. The successful candidate will take full responsibility for production output, quality, workflow and team performance across the joinery department. You will manage three production supervisors and oversee a broader production workforce of approximately 40 bench hands. This is a demanding, deadline-driven position suited to a highly experienced joinery or cabinetmaking professional who combines strong technical craftsmanship with proven production leadership. The environment produces high-end retail shopfitting units including point-of-sale counters, checkout counters, wall units, cosmetic units, jewellery counters, gondolas and other custom timber fixtures manufactured to detailed technical specifications. Key Responsibilities Production & Operations Management Plan, schedule and control high-volume joinery production to meet customer delivery deadlines. Manage daily workflow and allocate production requirements across supervisors and their teams. Set daily and weekly production targets and monitor performance against plan. Identify and resolve production bottlenecks before they impact delivery. Optimise labour, machinery and available production capacity. Oversee equipment utilisation and coordinate maintenance requirements and breakdowns. Manage material flow in conjunction with stores, procurement and other operational departments. Drive consistent on-time, in-full delivery of completed joinery orders. Plan overtime, shifts and weekend production where required. Quality Control Establish and maintain consistently high manufacturing and finishing standards. Oversee quality inspections throughout the production process. Sign off completed units before dispatch. Identify the causes of recurring quality problems and implement corrective measures. Minimise rework, rejects, material wastage and avoidable production losses. Maintain the high finish standards expected within premium retail shopfitting environments. Technical & Drawing Interpretation Read and interpret detailed CAD drawings, cutting instructions and technical specifications. Review production drawings before manufacturing begins. Liaise with the design and drawing office regarding technical queries or discrepancies. Apply sound joinery and manufacturing principles to optimise construction methods, cutting lists and panel yields. Ensure correct handling, machining and finishing of materials used within the department. Materials may include: MDF Chipboard Melamine Laminates Solid-surface materials Glass Perspex Polypropylene Duco finishes 2-Pack / 2K paint finishes Other specialist shopfitting substrates Team Leadership Directly manage and develop three Production Supervisors. Indirectly oversee approximately 40 bench hands and…