Operations - Advanced Team Lead

Park Seventeen, Whitefield, Manchester M45 8FJ, UK Req #108

Shift: Days and Nights

We have a new opportunity for a People and Performance Advance Team Lead (ATL) within our Production Team who would work at Kara Foodservice in Manchester.

Finsbury Food Group is a leading speciality bakery manufacturer. We constantly raise quality and efficiency standards, and build long-term relationships with major multiple retailers and the foodservice channel. Established in 1985, Kara offers a wide range of quality sweet and savoury bakery products, including both gourmet butter and vegan brioche buns, doughballs and teacakes. The Kara Bakery can bake over 1 million baps and burger buns every day.

The People and Performance ATL’s key focus will be to support the Manufacturing Shift Lead with Performance and People metrics of the manufacturing function. They will provide leadership for the operating teams to deliver established Key Performance Indicators in line with Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and People. This role has responsibility for developing a team willing to go the extra mile to strive for manufacturing excellence.

This is what you’ll actually do!

As the People and Performance ATL, you will lead by example, setting the tone for appropriate behaviour that aligns with our company values and culture. You’ll be instrumental in engaging, motivating, training, and developing a high-performing team, driving them to meet and exceed performance standards and targets.

You’ll work closely with the Manufacturing Shift Lead to review staffing requirements in line with the site’s labour budget, ensuring optimal manning levels throughout the year, even during seasonal fluctuations. Your deep understanding of all manufacturing processes, including ancillary operations, will help you oversee product quality and line efficiency.

In this role, you’ll proactively address and report any process issues, collaborating with your Advanced Team Member peers to resolve them through structured tiered meetings. You’ll inspire your team to deliver strong performance across KPIs, including waste reduction, standard throughout, yield maximisation, and product quality standards.

Training will be a key focus, and you’ll monitor new starters on the production line to ensure training needs are met withing the required timeframe. You\’ll supervise and evaluate team members to ensure compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and maintain safe, efficient, and effective productivity.

You’ll play a vital role in continuous improvement initiatives, contributing to site performance through the A3 methodology and action teams. Managing the team’s skills matrix will be part of your remit, ensuring the right skills mix and succession planning to meet key performance indicators.

Health, safety, and wellbeing are core responsibilities. You’ll use appropriate systems to report hazards and near misses, support accident investigations, and champion a strong health and safety culture across the bakery. You will also take an active role in environmental initiatives, working towards zero waste in alignment with our sustainability KPIs.

Your ability to lead with clarity and communicate effectively at all levels will ensure alignment and ownership in your area. You’ll facilitate daily communications via huddles, handovers, Workplace, and team briefs to keep everyone informed and focused.

Championing our quality standards, you’ll lead your team to deliver safe, high-quality products in line with the Panel Quality Evaluation (PQE) standards, ensuring adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). You will uphold area standards to meet both internal and external audit criteria across process adherence, technical performance, hygiene, safety, and quality.

Using Leader Standard Work techniques, you’ll ensure key routines are completed daily and weekly, while remaining flexible to accommodate production plan changes and support efficient changeovers. Lastly, you’ll willingly take on additional duties as assigned by the Manufacturing Shift Lead, demonstrating a collaborative and agile approach to teamwork.

Ideally this is you!

• Previous experience of working in a fast-paced and challenging environment is required.
• Experience having led/contributed to continuous improvement activities.
• Ability to demonstrate effective problem-solving skills using suitable root cause analysis methodology.
• Ability to build a team and motivate them to deliver/exceed business/personal set KPIs.
• Ability to complete standard work and support the implementation of multiple improvement projects within a team-based, fast-paced environment.
• Be able to demonstrate a good understanding of Health and Safety and Food Safety requirements.
• Ability to interact with multiple IT systems.
• Experience of working to set targets and deadlines.
• Experience of working on your own and to be able to work and contribute as part of a team.
• Ability to coach mentor and develop team members.
• Strong interpersonal skills; excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills.

What\’s in it for you?

• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave to allow quality time with your new arrival!
• Enhanced Pension Scheme for our employees
• Free Employee Assistance Programme (open to colleagues and their families)
• Retail discounts accessible via our Benefits Hub platform!
• Company shop available at sites (heavily discounted, yummy products!)
• Refer a Friend Scheme (up to £300 per referral – t&cs dependent)
• Employee Recognition Awards· Extensive Learning & Development opportunities (including opportunities for sponsored professional memberships and our own in-house development course!)
• An opportunity to be part of a fantastic, growing organisation. Head over to our LinkedIn page to find out more!

Our vision is to be the leading specialty bakery group in the UK and we want the best people in place to achieve this. Our continued success is built entirely on the talented people who work here, so employee development is important to us because everyone is a valued member of the team, and we want every individual to have the skills and capabilities to achieve both your own personal goals and our business goals. We want good people to join our company, to help our company continue to go from strength to strength. If this sounds like you, please get in contact to learn more!

• Park Seventeen, Whitefield, Manchester M45 8FJ, UK

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