Technical Operations Manager (Light Manufacturing) Prague

Purpose of the role

As a Production Manager, you will play a key role in coordinating suppliers and internal teams to develop and manufacture point of sale materials (POSM), retail furniture, displays, and other retail solutions for our FMCG client.

You will help ensure projects are delivered to the highest quality standards, on time, and in line with client expectations. We're looking for someone who combines strong technical expertise with excellent sourcing, planning, organizational, and communication skills.

You'll work collaboratively with Design Engineers, Account / Project Managers, Warehouse Teams, Logistics Managers, Installation Teams, and Finance to drive projects from concept through to successful delivery.

This role operates on a blended basis between the local HH Global office, vendor sites and home as required. You will need to spend 2+ days per week in our Prague office.

Please submit your details / application in English as we can't progress your application without that.

Key responsibilities

Production management – Manage all aspects of production with vendors, ensuring continuous project status tracking and OTIF delivery | Brief design + engineering teams and verify engineering drawing details | Prepare quotations and identify appropriate vendors for production | plan and track production with suppliers and set priorities accordingly

Supplier selection + management – Run RF activities with pre-approved vendors, selecting the most appropriate and viable for each project | Develop and sustain strong professional relationships with all suppliers and continuously search for potential new production partners

Price negotiation with vendors – Ensure the competitiveness of the services we offer to our client

Concept + article development – Manage the development process from the design and engineering phases to the final presentation to the team

Project documentation – Ensure the quality and perform the final check of technical documentation, including design drawings, bills of materials, and metadata | ensure compliance with internal and client standards and systems | Use the ERP system to document all production-related information and technical documentation

Communication – Act as the key contact for internal teams and suppliers regarding project status and details | Provide clear, timely, and solution-oriented communication to suppliers and internal team members

Quality control – Work alongside the QC team to ensure the quality and on-time delivery of production articles | Plan inspections at suppliers’ facilities and inspect incoming components at the warehouse | Ensure that packaging standards reflect the client’s needs

Financial control – Assign POs and ensure that order costs are in line with approved expectations

Claims handling – Manage claims relating to damaged or missing components

Knowledge, skills + experience

Technical education / qualification in furniture manufacturing, mechanical engineering, architecture and / or comparable experience within a production environment

Experience within retail fixture manufacturing, POSM production, retail displays, furniture manufacturing, or a related industry is highly desirable

Strong understanding of technical drawings

Knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes including joinery, metalwork, plastics, print, glasswork, and related production technologies

Strong organizational, planning, and time-management abilities

Ability to remain organized, focused, and effective while managing competing priorities and deadlines

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across suppliers and internal teams

Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including strong proficiency in Excel

Experience working with ERP systems would be advantageous

Professional proficiency in Czech or Slovak plus English

What success looks like

Delivering projects on time, in full (OTIF) and to the required quality standards while meeting client expectations and budget requirements

Building strong, collaborative relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders, becoming a trusted point of contact throughout the production lifecycle

Proactively identifying and resolving production challenges to minimize risk and maintain project momentum

Maintaining accurate and timely production, technical, and commercial data within ERP systems and project documentation

Continuously improving supplier performance, production efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness

Essential criteria

Proven experience managing the production of retail fixtures, POSM materials, displays, furniture, or other custom-manufactured products

Strong understanding of technical drawings, relevant materials, and manufacturing processes

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail

Experience working with suppliers, managing quotations, and supporting commercial negotiations

Strong stakeholder management and communication skills

Professional proficiency in Czech or Slovak, plus English

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