At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, ensuring operational excellence.
- Company: Join Greencore, a leading UK convenience food creator with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, life insurance, share save scheme, and enhanced parental leave.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to gender equality and employee wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in food production while driving continuous improvement and team success.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in manufacturing, strong communication skills, and a focus on safety and quality.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Benefits: Company share save scheme, Competitive matched pension contribution, Life insurance up to 4x salary
Location: Greencore Spalding Meals, West Marsh Road, PE11 2BB
Ways of Working: Site based
Hours of work: Tuesday to Saturday 08:30am-17:00pm
Contract Type: Permanent
Why Greencore?
Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we’re one of the UK’s leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make every day taste better. As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we’re proud to employ over 28,000 talented colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and the US. Together, we bring delicious food to life. Our products cover every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner and dessert, with lunch and snacking in between. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve combined revenues of approximately £4bn.
Our extensive direct to store (DTS) network, with 17 depots across the UK, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring consumers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop. Our site in Spalding is a vibrant hub where over 1,470 colleagues bring handcrafted sandwich wraps, salads, dips, soups, sauces, and mayonnaise to life across three manufacturing facilities and a distribution centre.
What you’ll be doing
In this integral role as Factory Manager, you will be an experienced manufacturing leader contributing to the operational strategy of a fast-paced chilled food manufacturing business, with full accountability for operational KPIs. You’ll focus on sustainable operational delivery and continuous improvement, using the Greencore Operating System to drive optimal factory performance. Working as part of the wider site leadership team, you’ll deliver challenging results across a balanced KPI scorecard while leading people, maintaining food safety standards, and ensuring optimal factory efficiency. As a key site leader, you’ll consistently meet customer expectations across efficiency, quality, food safety, and service, while collaborating with stakeholders to resolve issues and identify improvement opportunities.
Role Accountabilities
- Ensure a safe working environment, deploying H&S strategy, chairing safety meetings, and communicating outcomes
- Lead quality, food safety, hygiene, and housekeeping standards, including audit verification and improvement actions
- Work cross-functionally on quality plans and capital justifications
- Translate manufacturing strategy into clear, actionable operational plans
- Set manning requirements, recruit talent, and oversee training, development, and performance management
- Use KPIs to drive improvement plans and cascade performance metrics across teams
- Review manufacturing plans and schedules to optimise resources and efficiency
- Support NPD feasibility and ensure successful, well-communicated product launches
- Maintain effective communication, engagement, and two-way dialogue across the site
- Role model values, foster positive employee relations, and support union partnerships
- Identify and deliver continuous improvement opportunities and support capital investment plans
- Ensure full deployment and coaching of the Greencore Operating System
- Lead Top Loss and Kaizen performance activity
What we’re looking for
- A credible, people-focused manufacturing leader who drives performance through clear planning and data-led decisions
- Strong knowledge of production, commercial, and technical operations within a fast-paced manufacturing environment
- Proven ability to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and deliver continuous improvement
- Confidence managing health & safety, environmental, food safety, and hygiene standards
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders at all levels
- Calm, resilient leadership style with the ability to perform under pressure
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage, motivate, and align teams
- A values-led leader who fosters positive culture and high standards across the factory
We’re proud to be recognised in the Gender Equity Measure Top 100 for our commitment to gender equality. If this sounds like you, join us and grow with Greencore, and be a part of driving our future success.
What you’ll get in return
- Competitive salary and job-related benefits
- Holidays
- Life insurance up to 4x salary
- Company share save scheme
- Exclusive Greencore employee discount platform
- Access to a full Wellbeing Centre platform
- Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies
Throughout your time at Greencore, you will be supported with on-the-job training and development opportunities to further your career.
Factory Manager in Spalding employer: Greencore Group PLC
Greencore Group plc is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Nottingham where you can thrive as a Senior Business Analyst. With a strong focus on employee growth, competitive benefits including a car allowance and access to a wellbeing centre, the company fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Factory Manager in Spalding
✨Join Local Manufacturing Groups
Getting involved in local manufacturing groups or associations can seriously boost your visibility. These groups often have insider info on job openings and networking events, plus they help you connect with like-minded folks in the industry. Check out what's happening in your area!
✨Show Off Your Skills in Practical Spaces
Consider participating in workshops or open days at manufacturing companies. It's a great way to show off your hands-on skills in a real-world environment and can sometimes lead to job offers right on the spot. Keep an eye on announcements from local manufacturers for these opportunities!
✨Leverage the Power of Internships
While you're looking for full-time positions, don't underestimate the power of internships! Even if you don't see a direct role, securing an internship at a company can open doors to future jobs. Many manufacturing firms prefer to hire from their intern pool, so it's definitely worth considering.
✨Apply Directly Through Company Websites
When you find a role at a company you love, like Greencore Group PLC, apply directly on their website. This way, you’re more likely to be noticed by the hiring team. Plus, showing that you took the time to seek out their application process highlights your genuine interest in the firm!
We think you need these skills to ace Factory Manager in Spalding
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Skills:In the manufacturing-production sector, it's crucial to highlight your technical skills and experience. Make sure your CV features any relevant qualifications, such as certifications in machinery operation or production management, and don’t forget about any specific systems or software you’re familiar with. This can really set you apart!
Emphasise Teamwork and Communication:Working in manufacturing often means being part of a larger team. Highlight your experience in collaborative projects or environments where communication was key. Maybe you have experience with lean manufacturing principles? Talk about how you worked with your team to improve productivity and maintain quality.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Company:Don’t just recycle an old cover letter! Take the time to tailor your cover letter to Greencore Group PLC specifically. Mention what excites you about their production processes or products, and how your previous experiences can contribute to their goals. We want to see your enthusiasm for the role!
Use Concrete Examples of Your Achievements:When detailing your work experience, include measurable achievements that can demonstrate your impact. Whether it’s improving efficiency by a certain percentage or successfully leading a project, these specifics can make a huge difference. Numbers speak volumes in the manufacturing world!
How to prepare for a job interview at Greencore Group PLC
✨Know Your Manufacturing Processes
Before you walk into the interview with Greencore Group PLC, brush up on the specific manufacturing processes relevant to the role. Understanding lean manufacturing principles or quality control techniques could give you a solid edge to discuss how you’d fit into their operations.
✨Technical Questions Are Key
Be prepared for technical questions around machinery, production scheduling, or materials handling. Make sure you can confidently explain how you've dealt with these in past experiences or internships. Knowing industry-specific software could also be a big plus!
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Manufacturing environments often focus on continuous improvement. Be ready to discuss specific instances where you’ve solved a production issue or implemented a process improvement. It’s all about demonstrating your analytical thinking and hands-on approach.
✨Align Your Values with Quality and Safety
In a full-time role, companies like Greencore Group PLC value commitment to quality and safety. Be prepared to discuss how you prioritise these factors in your work. It’s about showing that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you genuinely care about contributing positively to their production environment.
