Production Manager
Lead operational excellence at our Ostend plant
We're transforming our Ostend plant into a center of operational excellence, and we need a hands‑on Production Manager to lead this journey from the shop floor.
If you thrive on turning strategy into tangible results, coaching teams to excellence, and driving continuous improvement in a dynamic manufacturing environment, this role is for you.
About Orac
At Orac, we don't see walls as surfaces. We see them as blank canvases. What we create is not decoration, but the elements that define how a space feels. For over 50 years, we've been refining that craft. Combining tradition with innovation and design thinking with industrial precision.
We work with people who care about detail. Because detail is never just a detail: it's what makes something feel right.
Curious how we think and work?
Discover what it means to be an Oracian.
Learn more about Orac
What you’ll own
This is more than a desk job. As Production Manager, you’ll start your days at the shopfloor with your teams and combine this with taking a leading role in the implementation of strategic projects. You're the vital connection between production execution and plant leadership. The person who makes things happen.
Your mission: deliver quality products on time while building a high-performance culture and driving the lean transformation that will define our next chapter.
Your responsibilities
* Lead from the shopfloor. Lead a team of 30 employees alongside 5 team leaders. Create operational stability, coach for excellence, and drive your team to hit performance targets day after day.
* Partner with the Head of Manufacturing to translate strategic objectives into shop floor reality.
* Act as an escalation point for technical challenges, operational roadblocks and people matters that need experienced leadership.
* Spot bottlenecks before they become problems. Deploy Lean manufacturing tools to eliminate waste, reduce costs, and raise the bar on quality.
* Advance our digitalization journey by rolling out 24Flow and modern production systems that replace clipboards with real-time data.
* Train, mentor and develop team leaders and operators who can run best‑class operations.
* Collaborate daily with QESH, logistics, engineering and R&D to solve problems fast and keep production flowing.
What success looks like
* Within 30 days, You're leading SQDCP routines in one production area and you've identified 2-3 quick wins to improve performance.
Within 60 days, You're running shift operations independently, actively supporting lean & kaizen initiatives, and reporting performance metrics with confidence.
At 90 days, You own daily routines across all shifts, you've driven measurable improvement in at least one key KPI, and you're leading a cross‑functional improvement project.
This is you
You're a proud & natural leader who gets energy from developing people and solving problems. You don't manage from an office, you're present, visible, and hands‑on where the work happens.
Your team trusts you to give them honest, constructive feedback that helps them grow.
* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Business or equivalent experience
* 4-7 years’ experience, including at least 3 years leading production teams
* Proven shop floor leadership: present, visible and hands on. Structured workstyle with a focus on order and constructive feedback.
* Hands‑on knowledge of Lean principles
* Data‑driven mindset with the analytical skills to turn numbers into action (SAP and MES knowledge is a plus)
* Have the drive and desire to drive forward improvements to ensure Orac continues to manufacture high quality products
* Fluent in English and Dutch
Nice to have
* Hands-Experience with digital production tools
* Knowledge of ISO quality standards and implementation
Not sure you tick every box? If this role feels right to you and you recognise yourself in the way we work, we'd still like to hear from you.
What makes this role worth it
* High visibility role, with real impact on performance and culture
* Autonomy to deploy lean, digital and quality stands on the shop floor
* Mostly Ostend-based, occasional travel for knowledge exchange
* Competitive salary, company car, year‑end bonus, holiday pay, meal vouchers, net allowance, bicycle leaseplan, group insurance and DKV hospital insurance for you and your family.
* Love beautiful space? Use your colleague discount from day one to bring Orac home.
* Flexibility that fits your life: flexible working hours
* Growth and learning development opportunities that help you to broaden your knowledge
At Orac, passion, inspiration and loyalty are more than words. They shape the way we work together. We offer a dynamic, stable environment where your commercial impact is seen and rewarded. We look forward to welcoming you in the team! If that sounds like you, you'll feel at home here. Looking forward to your application. After submitting your CV, you can expect feedback within one week Interviews and next steps will be communicated to shortlisted candidates
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