Hi, I’m
Samuel Matibenga
Production Manager
Johannesburg
Work Preference
Summary
Results-driven Production Manager with over 9 years of manufacturing experience within the South African clothing manufacturing industry.
Currently responsible for leading production operations within a school uniform manufacturing factory generating approximately R25 million annual turnover, managing a workforce of 150 employees, increasing to 270 employees during peak production periods.
Experienced in production planning, fabric procurement, labour costing, quality management, HR administration, production budgeting, continuous improvement and operational leadership. Proven ability to reduce manufacturing costs, improve productivity and deliver customer orders on time while maintaining high quality standards.
A strong analytical leader with a Management Accounting background, passionate about improving operational performance through data-driven decision-making and process optimisation.
Overview
5
Languages
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Rufaro Garments
Production Manager
01.2025 - Current
Job overview
- Lead daily production operations for 150 employees, increasing to 180 employees during busy production periods.
- Develop daily, weekly and monthly production plans.
- Plan factory capacity to maximise productivity.
- Manage fabric ordering and procurement to ensure uninterrupted production.
- Liaise with suppliers regarding raw material availability.
- Conduct time studies and labour analysis to improve productivity.
- Prepare labour costing and production budgets.
- Monitor production costs and identify cost-saving opportunities.
- Investigate production bottlenecks and implement corrective actions.
- Reduce waste and improve operational efficiency.
- Monitor production KPIs including productivity, labour efficiency, quality, rework and delivery performance.
- Manage recruitment, onboarding, attendance, disciplinary processes and employee performance.
- Coach and develop supervisors and team leaders.
- Ensure compliance with quality standards and health & safety requirements.
- Prepare production reports for senior management.
- Work closely with planning, sales and management to ensure customer delivery requirements are achieved.
Abelanani Creation
Production Manager
04.2019 - 12.2024
Job overview
- Production Control: Managed daily company production planning and controlled the flow of production orders.
- Capacity Planning: Collaborated with planners to ensure schedules were accurate and aligned with factory capacity.
- Supply Chain Liaison: Liaised with sales and management regarding order delays and lead-time forecasting for new enquiries.
- Performance Monitoring: Ensured supervisors and floor managers followed set processes to meet delivery deadlines.
Sun Moon
Production Coordinator
01.2017 - 12.2018
Job overview
- Coordinated production schedules to optimize workflow and resource allocation.
- Implemented process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.
- Monitored inventory levels, ensuring timely procurement of materials for production needs.
- Managed communication across departments to streamline project timelines and deliverables.
Education
University of South AfricaPretoria, South Africa
Bachelor of Science from Management Accounting
04.2001
Elukhanyiweni High SchoolWitbank, South Africa
High School Diploma
04.2001
University Overview
Key Subjects: Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
Skills
Project management
Production planning & implementation
Strategic oversight
Capacity planning
Budget forecasting
Advanced MS Excel
Time studies & labour costing
Staff development
Performance management
Operations reportingMicrosoft Power BI
NAV CRM
Microsoft Office
Production Reporting
Labour Costing
KPI Dashboards
Data Analysis
Lean manufacturing
Quality assurance
Standard operating procedures
Inventory control
Languages
English
Advanced (C1)
IsiZulu
Advanced (C1)
Ndebele
Advanced (C1)
Sepedi
Intermediate (B1)
SeTswana
Intermediate (B1)
Timeline
Production Manager
Rufaro Garments
01.2025 - Current
Production Manager
Abelanani Creation
04.2019 - 12.2024
Production Coordinator
Sun Moon
01.2017 - 12.2018
University of South Africa
Bachelor of Science from Management Accounting
04.2001
Elukhanyiweni High School
High School Diploma
04.2001
Achievements
Identified and resolved key production bottlenecks, leading to a 25% reduction in production downtime.,
Developed production budgets and financial forecasts that improved factory cost management by 15%.,
Led hiring, performance reviews, and mentoring programs that enhanced supervisor team productivity by 30%.,
Managed daily production planning and order flow to consistently meet tight delivery deadlines with a 98% on-time rate.,
Implemented a new production control system that increased on-time delivery rates to 98%, enhancing customer satisfaction.,
Conducted comprehensive time studies resulting in a 20% increase in labour efficiency across multiple product lines.,
Mentored and trained supervisors through focused workshop programs, resulting in a 25% improvement in team performance metrics.