Production Shift Manager - Dromona in Ballymena

Dale Farm is a leading dairy company, which manufactures an extensive range of consumer and food ingredient products. With an annual turnover in excess of £700m, the Group exports globally to over 40 countries, with a particularly strong presence in the UK retail market. It is our mission to ensure that we exude the highest standards through our processes, products, and people.

As a Production Shift Manager, you will be a key member of the onsite Management Team, playing a pivotal role in overseeing all production activity on site, including Milk Processing and Services. This is a key management position at Dromona Creamery and the successful candidate must demonstrate a track record of success within a similar role. This is a diverse role and will require a candidate with both technical aptitude and strong capabilities in leading a successful team.

Your core responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Ensuring operational efficiency, quality, and safety throughout your shift.
• Set and deliver best in class standards and performance in all aspects of processing.
• Overseeing all Production activity on site, to include the Production team, Milk Intake, Milk Processing, and Effluent.
• Managing and mentoring your team, while fostering a good culture across the site.
• Optimising plant performance by ensuring all plant and equipment is properly operated, maintained, and cleaned to minimise downtime.
• Driving a safety culture identifying issues and ensuring follow-through with appropriate improvements.
• Initiating and leading CI improvement projects.
• Adhering to the production schedule to deliver & maximise efficient customer fulfilment.
• Minimising packaging usage & stock holding levels and driving down wastage.
• Implementing a zero-tolerance approach to having a tidy, safe, and clean working environment.
• Managing all aspects of people management for your team, to include developing and empowering your team of operatives to assume ownership of their responsibilities, proactively monitoring and addressing poor performance and attendance, and communicating effectively with your team.
• Identifying training needs within your team, and implementing development plans.
• Implementing work instructions for all jobs and build a trained and flexible workforce.
• Developing and maintaining the necessary systems, procedures, training and working practices to deliver best practice and meet requirements.
• Communicating with senior management on performance and improvement plans.
• Leading shift handovers to ensure smooth transitions between teams.
• Identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies in production, and implementing improvement initiatives and continuous improvement strategies (Lean, Six Sigma etc.).
• Resolving staffing, supply or equipment issues promptly.
• Implementing new strategies to improve yield, reduce waste and boost productivity.
• Ensuring adherence to the cleaning schedule.

This role will work on a rota across 7 days, on a 4 on 4 off pattern.

The successful candidate will hold a 3rd level qualification in a relevant field and at least 2 years experience in a similar role, or alternatively candidates should have at least 3 years experience within a similar role within a related industry, such as FMCG or Pharmaceutical.

A proven track record of the ability to proactively lead, train and motivate a team ensuring high performance.

Strong industry knowledge of a FMCG manufacturing business.

A successful track record of developing a lean culture and delivering process improvements.

A strong technical skill set and a track record of delivery against quality / food safety and health and safety compliance.

Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to effectively communicate to a range of internal and external stakeholders, and to coordinate between different departments and senior management.

Problem solving, quick decision making and troubleshooting skills to handle production, equipment issues etc.

A proven track record of driving performance and improvement through site KPIs.

Strong leadership qualities and the motivation to inspire all the team.

The ideal candidate will have worked within a similar role within a similar Food Manufacturing business, and will possess a strong awareness of the industry.

The closing date for applications is 5.00pm on Thursday 6th August 2026.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer.