Manufacturing Manager

Location: Singapore
Industry: Book and Print Manufacturing

About the Company

Our client is a Singapore-based print media services provider specialising in the production of books, journals, educational materials and other publications. Supporting publishers and organisations in Singapore and around the world, the company provides printing, binding, finishing and distribution services. It combines advanced technologies with rigorous quality control to deliver dependable, high-quality solutions to local and international clients.

Position Overview

The Manufacturing Manager leads end-to-end book manufacturing operations across offset and digital printing, binding and finishing. This hands-on leadership role is accountable for producing books, manuals, journals and other print products safely, efficiently, cost-effectively and to specification—from production planning and printing through finishing, binding and packing.

Working closely with Production Planning, Equipment Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain and other stakeholders, the Manufacturing Manager translates customer requirements and production plans into reliable manufacturing outcomes. The successful candidate will optimise capacity and manpower, improve quality and productivity, reduce waste and downtime, and support on-time delivery in a high-mix production environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead daily operations across offset and digital printing, folding, gathering, sewing, perfect binding, case making, casing-in and related finishing processes.
2. Manage production performance against safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, waste, equipment utilisation and overall equipment effectiveness targets.
3. Translate production plans into machine loading, manpower deployment and shift priorities; work with Production Planning to resolve bottlenecks and adjust schedules to meet customer commitments.
4. Ensure jobs meet approved specifications, including colour, registration, pagination, trim, binding strength, finishing and packing requirements.
5. Monitor output, work-in-progress, turnaround time, rejects, rework and material usage; lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions when production or quality targets are missed.
6. Partner with Equipment Maintenance to implement preventive and corrective maintenance programmes, improve machine reliability and minimise unplanned downtime.
7. Lead lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and process standardisation initiatives to increase throughput, capacity and labour efficiency while reducing spoilage and conversion costs.
8. Lead, coach and develop managers, supervisors, technicians and operators; establish clear accountabilities and build multi-skilled teams through structured training and cross-training.
9. Contribute to manpower planning, recruitment and succession planning, fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration, discipline and continuous learning.
10. Manage production resources, including paper, ink, adhesives, boards, covers and other consumables, to ensure availability and control inventory and costs.
11. Promote safe work practices, effective housekeeping and proper chemical handling, and ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements and the company’s Quality, Environmental, Health & Safety and FSC Chain of Custody management systems.
12. Champion sustainable manufacturing by reducing material waste and energy consumption, supporting responsible sourcing and resource efficiency, and contributing to the organisation’s sustainability goals.
13. Evaluate and support the introduction of equipment, automation, digital workflows and manufacturing technologies, including trials, commissioning, standard operating procedures and operator readiness.
14. Prepare and present production reports, forecasts and improvement plans to management, identifying risks, performance gaps and clear follow-up actions.

Our client is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Employees are recruited and selected on merit, regardless of nationality, age, gender, marital status, pregnancy status, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language, disability or mental health conditions.

Requirements

1. Degree or diploma in Printing Technology, Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management or a related discipline.
2. At least 15 years of experience in print or book manufacturing, including at least 5 years leading sizeable production teams at manager level or above.
3. Practical experience across offset and digital printing, binding and finishing operations.
4. A proven track record of improving safety, quality, productivity, cost, equipment utilisation and on-time delivery in a high-mix manufacturing environment.
5. Strong people leadership skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with Production Planning, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain and other stakeholders.
6. A decisive, hands-on and solutions-oriented approach, with strong planning, communication and problem-solving skills.
7. Experience with lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, production planning or manufacturing systems is preferred.