How to Apply: Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the CFAO Motors Kenya Limited (formerly Toyota Kenya) career portal at cfaomobility.co.ke. Visit the application link provided on this page to submit your application.
Show Lean Leadership and Plant Floor Credibility
This production manager role sits at the heart of vehicle assembly, so the hiring panel will be looking for someone who can talk about throughput, quality, and safety with equal fluency. Your CV and interview answers need to prove you have run real production lines, not just supervised from an office.
1. Quantify your production wins: Use numbers to show impact—like reducing downtime by X%, cutting waste by Y%, or improving line efficiency by Z%. For example, if you led a lean initiative that saved KES 2M annually, put that on your CV. Production managers are judged on measurable outcomes, so vague statements won't hold up.
2. Prepare for safety and ANZEN questions: Since the role explicitly mentions workplace safety management and ANZEN, expect questions about your safety record and how you've built a safety-first culture. Be ready to describe a time you investigated an incident, implemented a corrective action, or drove a safety campaign. Mention any certifications like NEBOSH if you have them.
3. Show your lean toolkit in action: The posting stresses continuous improvement and lean principles, so be ready to discuss specific tools you've used—5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, or Kanban. Walk through a project where you applied one of these to solve a real problem. For instance, describe how you used VSM to cut a process step and reduce lead time.
4. Demonstrate cross-functional collaboration: This role works with product line management, engineering, and process teams, so highlight times you partnered with other departments to launch a new model or improve a process. Give an example of how you communicated technical requirements to non-technical stakeholders or influenced a design change for easier assembly.
5. Prepare for budget and cost questions: You'll own the production budget and capital expenditure proposals, so expect questions on how you've managed costs and justified investments. Have a story ready about preparing a budget, tracking variances, or pitching a capex project that paid off. Show you understand the balance between cost, quality, and delivery.
6. Highlight your team leadership style: The role requires coaching, mentoring, and developing direct reports, so be ready to talk about how you've grown your team. Share an example of a team member you developed into a higher role, or how you handled a performance issue. Emphasize your ability to motivate and inspire—this is a key part of the job.
7. Know the automotive assembly context: Even if you haven't worked in automotive, show you understand the specifics—like assembly line balancing, torque specifications, and just-in-time delivery. Research Toyota Production System (TPS) principles, since the company has a Toyota heritage. Mentioning TPS in your interview shows you've done your homework.
8. Ask sharp questions about the plant: When you get the chance to ask questions, focus on the operational reality—like current production volumes, main quality challenges, or how ANZEN is practiced on the floor. This shows you're thinking like a production manager, not just a candidate. For example, ask about the biggest bottleneck in the current assembly process.