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Production Manager - Coffin Factory

Prescot

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Job ID 1069212 Job category Funeralcare Hours per week 37.5 Closing date 03-08-2026 Salary £47,000 - £54,000 per annum plus excellent benefits

Production Manager – Coffin Factory

£47,000 - £54,000 per annum plus excellent benefits

37.5 hours per week - Monday to Thursday 8am – 4.30pm & Friday 8am – 1.30pm

Knowsley (L34 4AX)

We’re building something special. As we open our brand‑new coffin factory in Knowsley in November 2026, we’re creating a new team, a new inclusive culture, and a new way of working together. This is your chance to help shape it from day one.

As the UK’s leading national funeral provider, everything we do is rooted in care, dignity and community. Our new coffin factory will play a vital role in supporting families across the country and we’re looking for a Production Manager to help us bring it to life.

This isn’t just about running a production line. It’s about shaping a new site, helping colleagues grow and ensuring we deliver products that families trust at some of the most important moments in their lives.

Why this job matters

You’ll lead a dedicated team of c.50 colleagues who take pride in producing around 90,000 high‑quality coffins for Co‑op Funeralcare a year. You’ll be part of something meaningful and by guiding a new team, driving standards and creating a safe, collaborative environment, you’ll help us build a workplace where people feel proud of what they do and truly makes a difference.

What you’ll do

Lead a new team of around 50 colleagues, including 5 direct reports, coaching and supporting them to develop their skills
Take full accountability for the production of our UK coffins, ensuring every product meets our high-quality standards
Drive performance across output, waste and efficiency, and helping the site evolve over time
Create a safe, well‑run environment where everyone understands and follows their health and safety responsibilities
Work closely with internal colleagues and external suppliers
Support the recruitment and onboarding in the lead up to the launch of the new site
Help shape a culture built on care, collaboration and continuous improvement

What you’ll bring

Experience within a production or manufacturing industry
Previous experience managing teams of 30+ indirect and direct reports
Strong people, leadership and coaching skills
A commercial mindset and confidence working to targets
High attention to detail and a passion for quality
Knowledge and experience working with unions would be beneficial
Great communication and stakeholder management skills
A proactive, problem‑solving approach and confidence to make informed decisions
The ability to work with Microsoft Office packages
A full UK drivers licence, this would be beneficial

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

30% off Co-op branded products in our food stores all year round
10% off other brands in our food stores all year round (doubles to 20% on the Friday and Saturday after payday)
discounts on other Co-op products and services
28 days holiday (rising to 32 in line with service)
a pension with up to 10% employer contributions
access to our Employee Assistance Programme which offers confidential advice and support on anything you’re struggling with, 24 hours a day
access to virtual GP and free eye tests
friendly, supportive team and the knowledge that you will make a huge difference to your community
access to Stream - a money management app that gives you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it

A place you'll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at Your Co-op Application Journey and our inclusion commitments at Diversity and inclusion at Co-op

We reserve the right to remove a vacancy before the scheduled closing date.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes between 45-60 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.

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Whats nearby?

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Benefits

Holidays starting from 31 days holiday per year (includes bank holidays)
30% off Co-op branded products in our food stores
Pension with up to 10% employer contributions
Wagestream – a money management app that gives you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
Services to support your physical, mental and financial wellbeing
Flexibility – we’ll aim to find a working pattern that fits your life
Endless career development opportunities including apprenticeships

Success profile

What makes a successful member of our team? Check out the top traits we're looking for and see if you have the right mix.

Forging Relationships
Co-operation
Teamwork
Empathy
Compassion
Speaking Up

Who we are

At Co-op Funeralcare, we’re proud to support people during their most difficult moments.

This can be emotional work. But it’s also incredibly rewarding. Our Funeralcare colleagues work together to offer care and support to people experiencing grief. Whether you’re a Funeral Arranger, Funeral Director or part of our Funeral Service Crew, you’ll need to be compassionate and dedicated to helping others. Your empathy and sensitivity will not only aid people in their time of need, but also help you to build a deeply fulfilling career.

Our culture

Smiling at work is easy when you see the difference you make. And our funeralcare colleagues take pride in positively impacting our communities

At Co-op you’ll be welcomed and included, cared for inside and outside of work, and empowered by supportive leaders.

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We’re all in this together and at Co-op, we always look out for each other.

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We’ll do all we can to help you create a great work/life balance.

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If you experience abuse or harassment in the workplace, we’ll support you.

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Your manager won’t solve all your problems, but they’ll understand and empower you.

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Find out about our roles

A career with Co-op Funeralcare could take you in a number of different directions, including management, embalming or a role in our support functions. You could even progress into another Co-op business area like Retail, Legal Services or Insurance.

Our Funeral Service Crew help with the funeral and care for the deceased. You’ll work closely with your team to provide a seamless, sensitive service. And you don’t need experience – just a full UK driver’s licence. We’ll give you all the support you need to help build your career with Co-op Funeralcare.

Our Funeral Arrangers are the first point of contact for clients. They get to know clients’ needs and help them plan their funeral. You’ll need empathy and great customer service skills because your clients will look to you for help, support and advice. We’ll teach you everything else you need to do the job through our training and support.

As a Funeral Director, you’ll spend most of your time with families, supporting them through the funeral arrangements. You’ll manage your own time and build strong, trusting relationships. We’ll give you all the support and training you need to develop your team and deliver a thoughtful service that works for our clients, and our business. Here, you’ll discover job satisfaction you never thought possible.

These are management roles. Our Care Logistics Managers focus on the co-ordination of funerals and the line management of operational teams, making sure all resources are in the right place at the right time. Funeral Services Managers look after multiple branches, making sure funeral services are consistently delivered to the highest possible standards.

Becoming an Embalmer isn’t a common career choice, but it is an incredibly rewarding one. Embalmers help preserve and restore deceased people, creating a peaceful and lasting image for their family and friends. It’s a highly skilled and technical role, for which you need an official BIE qualification. If don’t hold this qualification, you can enrol on our embalmer apprenticeship.

Our apprenticeships are open to everyone. As a Level 2 Funeral Team Member, you’ll develop your funeral arranging skills, learning how to deliver them with care and compassion. At Level 3, you can learn how to become a funeral director. Or you can become an embalmer with our Level 5 Embalmer programme, or progress to managerial roles with our degree apprenticeships. There are all kinds of ways you can progress in this role. Find out more on our apprentice hub.

Our application process

Every application process at Co-op is unique, but you’ll always experience 4 key stages.

Applying for a job

You can apply for a job with us quickly and easily on your laptop or phone. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done before or if you have little experience — it’s all about matching our values and bringing your passion, motivation and capabilities to your new role.

You don't need a CV to apply for a Funeralcare role at Co-op. We think that empathy and compassion are more important than experience and qualifications.

Online assessment

As part of your application you’ll need to complete an online assessment which will measure how well your behaviours, values and motivations match up to this role. It will take around 20 minutes to complete.

Interview

If you pass your online assessment and short phone call, you’ll be asked to come to one of our Funeralcare homes for an interview.

We’ll send you an email for you to choose a date and time for your interview online – but if you can’t make it, don’t worry, you can provide the Hiring Manager times of when’s best for you. Before your interview, we’ll send you a really helpful guide on how best to prepare, so nothing on the day should surprise you, and most importantly what proof you need to bring to prove your right to work in the UK.

Your decision

If you’re successful at your interview, you’ll receive a phone call from the hiring manager you met to talk about your job offer. If you accept, we’ll then send your offer online via an email. Before anything can be processed, we'll need you to accept this offer online. There will then be a round of pre-employment screening, including background checks. Once all confirmed, this will start your journey into our Co-op.

Apply

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