Senior Production Manager

The company

This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-growing, ambitious food manufacturing business at a pivotal stage in its development.

With strong year-on-year growth, expanding relationships with major retailers and plans for significant future investment, the business is preparing to scale its manufacturing capability. Its success has created the need for an accomplished operational leader who can strengthen performance today while helping shape the operation of tomorrow.

You will join a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment where decisions are made quickly, improvement is encouraged and talented people have the opportunity to make a visible and lasting impact.

The role

As Senior Production Manager, you will take a leading role in improving the performance of a busy operation and developing the capability of its production teams.

Highly visible on the shop floor, you will work closely with shift leaders and operational colleagues to introduce greater structure, consistency and accountability.

Your remit will include:

• Improving operational performance, productivity and profitability
• Reducing unplanned downtime, waste and manufacturing losses
• Embedding continuous improvement and operational excellence disciplines
• Strengthening production processes, standards and ways of working
• Developing shift managers through effective coaching and leadership
• Building stronger people-management capability across the operation
• Leading a positive and proactive approach to health and safety
• Supporting future capacity, scale-up and site-expansion plans

The candidate

You will be a credible, hands-on production leader with a track record of delivering measurable improvements in a food, FMCG or similarly fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Ideally, you will have gained experience within a larger or well-established operation and be able to bring a clear understanding of best practice into a growing business.

You should be able to demonstrate:

• Strong operational and production leadership experience
• A proven record of improving manufacturing performance
• Experience reducing downtime, waste and inefficiency
• Knowledge of continuous improvement or Lean manufacturing principles
• Excellent people leadership, coaching and team-development skills
• The confidence to challenge existing practices constructively
• An analytical approach combined with a strong bias for action
• The resilience and adaptability to succeed in a fast-changing environment
• A visible, practical and engaging leadership style