Assistant Shift Manager (AM Shift) in Chorley

The Assistant Shift Manager is responsible for supporting the Shift Manager in the day-to-day leadership, coordination and performance of all production activities within their assigned shift, ensuring safe, efficient and high-quality manufacturing output that meets business objectives, customer requirements and operational targets.

This role exists to support operational excellence through strong floor leadership, effective communication, team coordination and proactive problem solving, while developing the capability, engagement and performance of production teams.

The Assistant Shift Manager plays a key role in ensuring production operations run safely and efficiently, supporting training and development activities, maintaining production standards and deputising for the Shift Manager when required.

About Group55

We are a manufacturer of pet care, personal care and household products that helps brands and entrepreneurs achieve great things by creating outstanding products and offering unparalleled services. We use our experience as brand owners of the market‑leading pet care brand, Animology, to offer our customers an exceptional full-service development, manufacturing, and fulfilment solution, and we do it with passion and enthusiasm.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Support delivery of shift production targets (volume, quality, efficiency and cost).
• Support safe and compliant operation of production hall activities.
• Assist with safe production line start‑up, shutdown and shift handovers.
• Support training, development and competency progression of production staff.
• Promote continuous improvement delivery, sustainability of gains and operational discipline.
• Support workforce safety, engagement and performance management.
• Effective cross‑functional coordination and communication across production operations.
• Compliance with all regulatory, customer and internal standards.
• Deputise for the Shift Manager during periods of absence or operational requirement.
• Promote and demonstrate Group55 DNA behaviours at all times.
• Support the Shift Manager in leading production hall operations during the shift to achieve output targets and production schedules.
• Monitor production performance and escalate issues impacting safety, quality or efficiency.
• Assist in coordinating labour, materials, equipment and production activities to maintain operational flow.
• Support effective shift handovers through accurate communication of performance, issues and priorities.
• Ensure production documentation and operational records are completed accurately within required timescales.
• Take ownership of designated production areas and support operational decision‑making during the shift.
• Support the implementation and sustainability of continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support the management and development of Line Leaders and Production Operatives.
• Assist with onboarding, training and competency sign‑off activities for new and existing employees.
• Ensure structured training plans are in place, delivered and regularly reviewed for all employees.
• Provide coaching and day‑to‑day guidance to production teams to promote high standards and accountability.
• Support to manage absenteeism and conduct performance reviews, feedback sessions and personal development planning (formal and informal).
• Encourage open and positive communication and collaboration across all operational teams.
• Promote employee engagement by recognising positive performance and fostering an inclusive and respectful working environment.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork and alignment with G55 “DNA” behaviours across the shift.
• Continuous Improvement & Lean Manufacturing
• Champion continuous improvement (CI) activity across the production hall.
• Lead the deployment of Lean manufacturing tools including 5s, Kaizen, Standard Work, SMED and visual management.
• Drive sustained reduction in waste, downtime and operational inefficiencies through structured improvement activities.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and ensure effective corrective and preventative actions are implemented and sustained.
• Encourage and support operator‑led improvement ideas and structured problem‑solving culture.
• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Quality, and other support functions to deliver cross‑functional improvement opportunities and performance enhancements.

Health, Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with Health & Safety legislation, company policies and site procedures.
• Promote and maintain a strong safety culture including risk assessments, near misses and safety inspections.
• Ensure adherence to GMP standards and maintain a clean, controlled production environment at all times.
• Support compliance with ISO22716, ISO9001, COSMOS and B Corp standards.
• Ensure all quality issues are promptly escalated, investigated and resolved in conjunction with the Quality team

Operational Problem Solving & Escalation

• Act as the first point of escalation for production issues, breakdowns and operational disruptions.
• Work closely with Engineering to minimise downtime and ensure rapid resolution of faults.
• Liaise with Planning to ensure efficient scheduling and response to changing priorities.
• Coordinate with Warehouse and Supply Chain teams to ensure material availability and production continuity.
• Apply structured problem‑solving techniques such as 5 Whys, RCA (Root Cause Analysis) and PDCA (Plan, Do, Check & Act) to prevent recurrence of issues.
• Escalate unresolved operational risks or issues to the Shift Manager promptly.

We’re dedicated to ensuring Group55 is a great place to work, we love what we do and we want to work with great people who love what they do too. We have a happy and inclusive workplace that offers support and development opportunities for our people to continue to achieve their best.

This role will be office‑based in Chorley, Lancashire. Group55 offer a company profit share bonus after a qualifying period.

Salary: Competitive based on experience.