Food Production Manager

The Opportunity

The successful Production Manager will take full ownership of daily operations within a high-volume production environment, leading up to 100 colleagues and driving world-class standards across safety, quality, food safety, efficiency and team development.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys being visible on the shop floor, setting the standard and inspiring teams to perform at their best.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and sustain a zero-harm safety culture, ensuring safe systems of work and strong behavioural safety standards
• Deliver all manufacturing KPIs across output, quality, waste, service and efficiency
• Lead the implementation and embedding of LEAN manufacturing, developing continuous improvement as a way of life
• Ensure the site operates to best-in-class food safety and GMP standards, remaining audit-ready at all times
• Drive quality excellence, ensuring products consistently meet agreed specifications and customer expectations
• Lead the introduction of new products, managing trials and ensuring successful launches
• Champion process and equipment improvement, working closely with Engineering to develop a robust TPM strategy
• Maintain outstanding service levels, consistently exceeding 99%
• Control material variance, driving waste and cost as close to zero as possible
• Develop a high-performance team culture through clear standards, structure, appraisals and ongoing coaching
• Play a key role in broader operational excellence and leadership programmes
• Ensure full compliance with all Health & Safety, Food Safety, Legal and Quality obligations

The Person

This business is looking for a confident, ambitious and data-driven leader who combines strong people skills with a passion for operational excellence.

Key attributes

• Natural, credible leadership style with the ability to inspire large teams
• High energy and a strong personal drive
• A continuous improvement mindset with the confidence to challenge the status quo
• Strong decision-making based on data and performance metrics
• Commercially and financially aware
• Comfortable operating at all levels of the business
• A genuine passion for food manufacturing and quality

Key skills and experience

• Proven experience leading production in a high-volume manufacturing environment
• Strong working knowledge of LEAN / CI methodologies
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capability
• Experience of driving operational improvement through structured project delivery
• Sound understanding of food safety, GMP and quality systems
• Strong coaching, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with Planning, Engineering, Technical and Supply Chain

Why This Role?

• Up to £55,000 salary plus 10% guaranteed bonus
• Long-term career progression within a growing and well-invested operation
• A leadership role where decisions genuinely influence performance and culture
• A business that backs its people, invests in development and promotes from within
• A strong, values-driven culture where quality, safety and people genuinely come first
• The chance to lead at scale and shape a best-in-class manufacturing operation

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