We are currently working with a well known, branded chilled food manufacturer who have two permanent Production Manager vacancies within a large, high-care kitchen operation..

The successful candidate must be experienced in food manufacturing  (ideally chilled) and people management.

Role Overview

• Lead the production operation to deliver safe, legal, high quality chilled food in line with agreed specifications, service levels and commercial targets.

• Own all key manufacturing KPIs (safety, GMP, efficiency, waste, service, labour and material variance) and drive year-on-year improvement through robust routines and data-driven decision making.

• Build, develop and inspire a high-performing team culture that supports growth, change and cross-functional collaboration.

• Someone who has exceptional people skills and experience leading large teams, with the role requiring you to lead from the front as the visible leader for up to 100 people.

Key responsibilities

Safety & food safety

• Ensure safe systems of work, risk assessments and full compliance with all H&S requirements, championing a visible “zero accident” culture across all shifts.

• Maintain excellent hygiene and GMP standards so the site is always audit-ready, with all colleagues trained and compliant with food safety procedures.

Quality & customer focus

• Ensure every product is manufactured to specification, with complaint levels and non?conformances below agreed site targets.

• Work closely with technical, NPD and process teams to launch new and improved products successfully, using trial data and robust handover to embed changes.

Operational performance & CI

• Embed lean ways of working on the shopfloor, establishing clear routines, visual management and problem?solving to drive OEE, throughput and labour efficiency.

• Partner with engineering to maximise line uptime and develop effective TPM practices that reduce unplanned downtime and improve asset care.

• Ensure production plans are executed to deliver service levels in excess of 99%, working with planning and supply chain to optimise changeovers, material flow and scheduling.

Waste, yield and material variance

• Own material variance and yield performance, driving loss reduction and root?cause problem solving to keep results better than site targets.

• Collaborate with planning, warehousing and finance to strengthen controls on waste, giveaways and stock accuracy.

People leadership & culture

• Lead a sizeable operations team of up to 100 colleagues through front-line managers and supervisors, ensuring clear roles, expectations and performance standards are in place.

• Align structure and skills with current and future volume, ensuring the right people are trained in the right roles at the right time.

• Champion regular performance conversations, appraisals and development plans, coaching managers to build capability and succession.

• Help shape and deliver a positive workplace culture, reflected in engagement and retention, where people feel valued and proud of the food they make.

Candidate profile

Experience & knowledge

• Proven track record in a senior production/operations role within food or drink manufacturing, ideally chilled, high care or retailer-facing.

• Strong background in lean manufacturing, CI tools and operational excellence, with evidence of delivering tangible KPI improvements.

• Experience of managing large teams (c.100 people) in a multi?shift or high-throughput environment, working cross-functionally with technical, planning, engineering and NPD.

• Solid understanding of food safety standards, retailer codes of practice and third?party auditing (e.g. BRC or equivalent).

• Confident user of production data and IT systems, comfortable analysing performance and communicating insight to senior stakeholders.

Leadership style & attributes

• Strong, visible leader who is present on the factory floor, sets clear expectations and leads from the front.

• Exceptional people skills, able to engage, motivate and develop large, diverse teams.

• High energy and resilience, able to prioritise, make sound decisions and maintain standards in a fast-moving environment.

• Continuous improvement mindset, comfortable challenging the status quo and implementing structured change.

• Excellent communicator and coach, able to influence up, down and across the organisation, with strong commercial awareness.

For more information please get in touch for a confidential chat or apply with your CV today.