Team Leader – Powder Coating Plant

Crittall Windows Ltd is the world leader in the manufacture of hand crafted, beautiful steel windows and doors that grace some of the finest buildings across the globe.

As part of our growth plan, and to meet demand for our iconic products, we are seeking to appoint a full time Team Leader for our Powder Coating Plant, based at our head office in Witham.

We offer a 4-day week with 20 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), flexible working, sick pay, pension, profit related bonus scheme, employee benefits package (discounts on everyday goods & services) & life assurance cover.

This is a great opportunity to join a world-renowned company with a rich heritage spanning over 175 years. The company actively supports progression and will provide learning opportunities and full training to the successful candidate

Job Description

• Job title: Team Leader – Powder Coating Plant
• Department: Production
• Reporting to: Production Manager
• Place of work: Head Office, Witham, Essex
• Purpose: The Powder Coating Plant Team Leader is responsible for overseeing daily operations within the powder coating facility, ensuring high-quality finishes, safe working practices, and efficient workflow across pre‑treatment, coating, and curing processes. This role requires strong technical knowledge of powder coating methods, excellent leadership capability, and a commitment to driving continuous improvement while aligning with the company’s values.
• Internal Contacts: Upstream & Downstream Production Teams, Purchasing, Production Control, Quality, Health & Safety
• External contacts: Suppliers

Roles, Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, motivate, and support a team of operatives across pre‑treatment, coating booths, ovens, and inspection stages.
• Organise daily work schedules, assign tasks, and ensure efficient workflow.
• Provide on‑the‑job training, coaching, and performance feedback to develop team competency.
• Act as the first point of contact for resolving technical issues, escalating problems where necessary.
• Conduct performance discussions and support training plans to develop a multi‑skilled workforce.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee pre‑treatment processes, powder application, curing, and quality inspection activities.
• Ensure all work meets required thickness, adhesion, gloss, and colour standards.
• Verify correct powder types, settings, and application parameters are used for each job.
• Monitor equipment performance and coordinate maintenance with engineering teams.
• Collaborate with production planning and quality control to optimise throughput and minimise downtime.

Safety & Compliance

• Promote a strong safety culture by modelling safe behaviour and enforcing safety policies.
• Ensure correct use of PPE, safe handling of chemicals, and safe operation of curing ovens, spray booths, and conveyors.
• Participate in incident investigations and support corrective actions.
• Ensure team compliance with relevant quality and safety standards (ISO 9001, COSHH, etc.), and company guidelines.

Continuous Improvement

• Champion Lean, 5S, Kaizen, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste (powder loss, rework, downtime) and improve production flow.
• Lead problem‑solving sessions and root‑cause analyses (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone).
• Support standardisation of work processes and contribute to SOP updates.
• Promote a mindset of innovation and process optimisation across the team.

Person Description

Essential Experience

• Experience in powder coating operations or a related finishing environment.
• Proven leadership or supervisory experience within manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of powder coating processes, equipment, and quality requirements.
• Ability to interpret job cards, colour specifications, and technical data sheets.
• Knowledge of Lean or continuous improvement principles.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with automated powder coating systems or robotics.
• Knowledge of chemical pre‑treatment systems (e.g., phosphate, chemical conversions, etc.).

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• Training in 5S, Lean, Six Sigma, or other CI methodologies.
• Training/qualifications in surface preparation or coating technologies.
• Desirable: First‑aid or safety‑related certifications.

Please submit CVs to hr@crittallwindows.co.uk 

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to the role. They should not be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of the person in the role. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of Crittall Windows.