Production Engineering Manager - KTP Associate

Location: Hospital Direct (Marketing) Ltd, Units 3-4, Green Industrial Estate Clun, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8LG

Contract Type: Fixed Term (24 months)

Closing Date:  23.59 hours BST on Sunday 23 October 2022

Interview Date: To be confirmed

This is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by Hospital Direct (Marketing) Ltd and Innovate UK-KTN. It is essential you understand how KTP works and the vital role you will play if you secure this position. To learn more please visit: www.aston.ac.uk/ktp

The project will aim to implement digitalisation of key operational and production control processes by adopting an Industry 5.0 approach that will drive productivity and efficiency improvements, and sustainable business growth in the healthcare sector. The project will address four strategic objectives:

• Business Growth- exploiting growing market opportunities in the UK healthcare sector through a comprehensive approach to addressing market drivers including cost, sustainability (net zero Carbon) and reshoring overseas manufacture.
• Expanding premises - to build manufacturing capacity.
• Expand Export Markets -e.g. Australia, Middle East, Europe.
• Improving Sustainability - becoming a net zero carbon supplier.

Candidate Profile: Qualified to MSc level, ideally with a first degree in either Production Engineering or Business and Computing, followed by a Masters/ MBA focussed on Business/ Operations Management with relevant IT modules. The candidate should have experience of working in a manufacturing setting with some hands-on experience of digital manufacturing and modern management practices. They should also have an understanding, at least at a conceptual level of Industry 5.0.

Key skills/ experience required include:

• Experience or technical understanding about working with hardware
• Knowledge of PLC control systems; Developing data collection apps
• Accessing data, data analytics, Data Flow Diagrams, Value Stream Mapping
• High-level programming languages e.g. Python
• Knowledge of statistical software packages e.g. SPSS or R
• Experience of business simulation software e.g. Anylogic

Personal attributes:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly self-motivated, able to work independently and as a part of the team, as and when required, in line with results driven commitment of the entire team
• Management skills either in an academic or industrial environment are desirable.

The Company: Hospital Direct (Marketing) Limited (HDL) manufactures and supplies a range of patient handling and other medical related products such as PPE. The company operates from premises in Shropshire, and supplies primarily into the UK health sector but does export to Europe, Australia and the Middle East. The company is currently in a phased investment programme to dramatically improve productivity and increase turnover by 3-4 times within the next three to five years by targeting carefully selected product/market areas.  More about the company: https://www.hospitaldirect.co.uk/

Location: You will be based predominantly at Hospital Direct (Marketing) Ltd in Clun, Craven Arms, Shropshire, but will also have access to facilities at Aston University in central Birmingham. Some travel to key clients may also be required.

For informal enquiries about this role please contact Dr Donato Masi, Senior Lecturer, Aston Business School, e-mail: [email protected]