Job Description:

Your new company
We are seeking an experienced and highly capable Production Manager to join a large, global food manufacturing business. This is a key leadership role responsible for managing day-to-day production across both high-risk and low-risk environments, leading a team of approximately 30 operators to deliver safe, efficient and high-quality manufacturing performance.
Your new role
The successful candidate will be a strong people leader who can build accountability, tackle operational challenges head on and create a positive, performance-driven culture. They will be focused on quality outputs, labour and process efficiencies, continuous improvement and the consistent achievement of production, safety, hygiene and customer standards.

• Lead, coach and develop a team of production operators, ensuring clear standards, expectations and accountabilities are in place.
• Manage daily production activity across high-risk and low-risk manufacturing areas, ensuring safe, compliant and efficient operations at all times.
• Drive a strong food safety, quality and hygiene culture, ensuring products are manufactured to specification and in line with customer, legal and site standards.
• Take ownership of production KPIs, including output, efficiency, labour utilisation, waste, quality performance, downtime and right-first-time delivery.
• Identify and resolve operational challenges quickly and effectively, using a hands-on and proactive approach to maintain production flow and performance.
• Work closely with Technical, Engineering, Planning, Hygiene, Warehouse and Continuous Improvement teams to ensure cross-functional alignment and delivery of site objectives.
• Promote a safety-first culture, ensuring compliance with health and safety procedures, risk assessments, safe systems of work and accident prevention standards.
• Plan and manage labour requirements to meet production schedules, customer demand and operational priorities.
• Lead daily meetings, performance reviews and shift handovers to ensure effective communication and clear follow-up on actions.
• Support continuous improvement activity across the production area, identifying opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste and strengthen operational standards.
• Manage investigations relating to quality issues, non-conformances, downtime, customer complaints or process failures, ensuring effective root cause analysis and corrective action.
• Ensure training, skills development and compliance records are maintained for all team members, supporting succession planning and capability building.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, GMP and audit readiness across all production areas.
• Handle performance, conduct, absence and engagement matters confidently, fairly and in line with company policy.

What you'll need to succeed
You will have previous experience in a Production Manager or Shift Manager, or similar leadership role within food manufacturing, FMCG or a regulated production environment.

• Experience working within high-risk and low-risk food manufacturing environments, with a strong understanding of food safety, hygiene and quality standards.
• Proven experience leading, motivating and developing sizeable operational teams in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• Strong people management capability, with the confidence to address performance issues, challenge behaviours and build a disciplined, engaged team culture.
• Demonstrable track record of improving production efficiency, output, waste, labour performance and operational standards.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence operators, peers and senior stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make effective decisions under pressure.
• Good understanding of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement tools and root cause analysis techniques.
• Knowledge of health and safety requirements within a manufacturing or food production environment.
• IT literate, with the ability to use production systems, performance data and reporting tools to drive informed decisions.

What you'll get in return
An attractive starting salary, plus 12% annual bonus, salary sacrifice pension with 6% employer contribution, 25+8 holiday entitlement, holiday purchase scheme, private medical insurance including family.
What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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