There’s a point in your career where you stop looking for “the next role” and start looking for something you can truly influence.
This Factory Manager opportunity in South Wales is exactly that.
It’s a site in transition. Not perfect, not polished – but full of potential. There’s a clear recognition from the senior leadership team that things need to improve, and more importantly, a willingness to invest in the right person to help lead that change. You’ll be joining an evolving SLT, working alongside new leaders who are focused on building a more structured, accountable, and high-performing operation.
This role sits right at the heart of that journey.
You’ll take ownership of manufacturing across two key departments in a complex, fast-paced, short shelf-life food environment. It’s a role that blends operational grip with leadership presence and where success comes from getting into the detail, but also lifting the capability of the people around you.
There are challenges here are around efficiency, waste, consistency, and structure – but they’re the kind of challenges that a strong Factory Manager will recognise as opportunity.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and lead factory performance end-to-end – Deliver safe, on-time, in-full production across multiple areas, creating flow and consistency across the operation.
- Drive OEE, efficiency, and downtime improvements
- Bring discipline to processes and shift the culture from reactive fixes to proactive, sustainable improvement.
- Lead, coach, and develop your production leadership team – Build capability across Shift Managers and Team Leaders, creating accountability and stronger day-to-day ownership.
- Maintain high standards in food safety, quality, and GMP
- Manage labour and resource effectively
- Collaborate across functions and contribute at SLT level
Key Requirements
- Proven senior leadership experience within food manufacturing – You’ll already be operating at Production, Operations, or Factory Manager level within a complex, high-volume environment.
- A strong track record of improving operational performance – Experience driving OEE, reducing waste, improving yield, and stabilising production processes is essential. You understand how to turn data into action.
- Deep understanding of food safety, quality, and GMP standards
- A hands-on, visible leadership style
- This isn’t a “steady-state” role. You’ll need the ability to navigate challenges, maintain momentum, and lead with consistency even when things are tough.
- Strong people leadership and coaching capability – You know how to get the best out of teams – developing capability, addressing underperformance, and creating a culture
Career Progression & Opportunity
- A genuine opportunity to shape and influence a site in transition – This isn’t about maintaining the status quo – it’s about playing a key role in transforming how the factory operates, with full visibility at SLT level.
- Exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making
- The chance to build and develop your own high-performing team
- For the right individual, this position offers real scope to grow whether that’s stepping into a larger site role in future or broadening into wider operational leadership.
You’ll need to be data-driven, operationally strong, and comfortable working at pace. Most importantly, you’ll need resilience – the kind that keeps momentum going when things aren’t straightforward, and the presence to lead from the front when it matters most.
If you’re looking for a role where you can genuinely make a difference – not just maintain, but build, shape and improve – this is one worth exploring.
For more information, please contact Shaf Islam on si@zestfoodjobs.co.uk.