Production Manager – Shipyard Operations

About the role

The Production Manager will oversee shipyard production activities in Cairns, ensuring vessels are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget and to the required quality standards. This role provides leadership to multidisciplinary production teams and drives operational excellence across the shipbuilding process.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop production teams to achieve safe and efficient vessel delivery.
• Plan, coordinate and execute production activities in line with project schedules.
• Promote a strong safety culture through visible leadership, risk management and compliance with shipyard standards.
• Manage labour, subcontractors, materials and equipment to optimise productivity.
• Monitor project progress, identify risks and implement recovery actions as needed.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, Planning, Engineering, Supply Chain and Quality teams to maintain a single source of truth for project status.
• Identify continuous‑improvement opportunities, process optimisation and performance enhancements.
• Provide accurate reporting and escalation of production performance, constraints and opportunities to senior leadership.

Required profile

• Diploma in Project Management or demonstrated production/project management experience.
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder‑management skills, both written and verbal.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop multidisciplinary production teams to meet safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives.
• Experience managing production operations within a shipyard, marine, heavy‑industry or manufacturing environment.

Required skills

• Experience with production, scheduling, ERP or project management systems.