Production Manager
Overview
A growing dairy manufacturing business is seeking an experienced and hands-on
Production Manager
to lead daily operations across a facility producing approximately 20 milk and cream products. This role requires a strong people manager who can motivate an 8-person production team while ensuring products are manufactured safely, efficiently, and in line with forecasted demand.
While this is not a highly automated or software-driven environment, the business has strong ambitions to modernise. The successful candidate will bring structure, improved efficiency, and smart KPI-driven management to help the organisation scale sustainably.
Key Responsibilities
Production Planning & Output
* Ensure daily production volumes meet forecasted demand across ~20 SKUs.
* Create simple but effective production plans that optimise labour, materials, and equipment usage.
* Monitor yields, wastage, and efficiency ratios, implementing improvements where possible.
* Maintain accurate production records and batch documentation.
People Management
* Lead, motivate, and supervise a team of 8 production operatives.
* Provide coaching, support, and on-the-job training to develop skills and performance.
* Build a positive, collaborative, accountable team culture.
* Manage staff scheduling, performance reviews, and daily role allocation.
Operational Excellence & Modernisation
* Introduce modern production practices suited to a small manufacturing environment.
* Develop and implement meaningful KPIs around efficiency, labour utilisation, downtime, quality, and customer fulfilment.
* Identify opportunities to improve processes, reduce waste, and increase throughput.
* Drive continuous improvement across production operations without unnecessary complexity.
Quality & Compliance
* Ensure all products are manufactured to required safety, quality, and hygiene standards.
* Work closely with technical/quality to maintain strong food safety culture and audit readiness.
* Support root cause analysis and corrective actions where deviations occur.
Materials & Inventory
* Support raw material and packaging usage tracking to meet production requirements.
* Work with procurement/owner to ensure appropriate inventory levels are maintained.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Liaise with sales and forecasting teams to anticipate demand and plan accordingly.
* Communicate production challenges or capacity constraints proactively.
* Support NPD or new product rollouts where required.
Experience & Qualifications
Essential
* 3–5+ years' experience in a Production Manager, Shift Manager, or Senior Production Supervisor role within
food or beverage manufacturing
(dairy experience desirable).
* Proven track record of managing, motivating, and developing small teams.
* Strong understanding of production planning, throughput, efficiency improvement, and day-to-day factory operations.
* Experience implementing KPIs and simple performance management structures.
* Familiarity with food safety standards (HACCP, GMP, hygiene).
* Ability to thrive in a hands-on role within a small but growing business.
* Strong problem-solving and organisational skills.
Desirable
* Experience in a dairy or liquid processing environment.
* Some exposure to basic production planning tools or process improvement methodologies (Lean, continuous improvement).
* A relevant technical qualification (Food Science, Production Management, Operations, Engineering, or similar).
Personal Attributes
* Practical, pragmatic, and confident working in a low-automation environment.
* Strong communicator who can bring people with them on a journey of improvement.
* Positive leadership style with a focus on accountability and team morale.
* Ambitious and excited to support a growing family business with expansion plans.