At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team in high-quality food production, ensuring safety and efficiency.
- Company: Join a global leader in food manufacturing with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, annual bonus, private medical insurance, and generous holiday entitlement.
- Other info: Opportunities for continuous improvement and career growth in a dynamic setting.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in food manufacturing and strong people management skills required.
We are seeking an experienced and highly capable Production Manager to join a large, global food manufacturing business. This is a key leadership role responsible for managing day-to-day production across both high-risk and low-risk environments, leading a team of approximately 30 operators to deliver safe, efficient and high-quality manufacturing performance.
The successful candidate will be a strong people leader who can build accountability, tackle operational challenges head on and create a positive, performance-driven culture. They will be focused on quality outputs, labour and process efficiencies, continuous improvement and the consistent achievement of production, safety, hygiene and customer standards.
- Lead, coach and develop a team of production operators, ensuring clear standards, expectations and accountabilities are in place.
- Manage daily production activity across high-risk and low-risk manufacturing areas, ensuring safe, compliant and efficient operations at all times.
- Drive a strong food safety, quality and hygiene culture, ensuring products are manufactured to specification and in line with customer, legal and site standards.
- Take ownership of production KPIs, including output, efficiency, labour utilisation, waste, quality performance, downtime and right-first-time delivery.
- Identify and resolve operational challenges quickly and effectively, using a hands-on and proactive approach to maintain production flow and performance.
- Work closely with Technical, Engineering, Planning, Hygiene, Warehouse and Continuous Improvement teams to ensure cross-functional alignment and delivery of site objectives.
- Promote a safety-first culture, ensuring compliance with health and safety procedures, risk assessments, safe systems of work and accident prevention standards.
- Plan and manage labour requirements to meet production schedules, customer demand and operational priorities.
- Lead daily meetings, performance reviews and shift handovers to ensure effective communication and clear follow-up on actions.
- Support continuous improvement activity across the production area, identifying opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste and strengthen operational standards.
- Manage investigations relating to quality issues, non-conformances, downtime, customer complaints or process failures, ensuring effective root cause analysis and corrective action.
- Ensure training, skills development and compliance records are maintained for all team members, supporting succession planning and capability building.
- Maintain high standards of housekeeping, GMP and audit readiness across all production areas.
- Handle performance, conduct, absence and engagement matters confidently, fairly and in line with company policy.
You will have previous experience in a Production Manager or Shift Manager, or similar leadership role within food manufacturing, FMCG or a regulated production environment. Experience working within high-risk and low-risk food manufacturing environments, with a strong understanding of food safety, hygiene and quality standards. Proven experience leading, motivating and developing sizeable operational teams in a fast-paced manufacturing setting. Strong people management capability, with the confidence to address performance issues, challenge behaviours and build a disciplined, engaged team culture. Demonstrable track record of improving production efficiency, output, waste, labour performance and operational standards. Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence operators, peers and senior stakeholders. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make effective decisions under pressure. Good understanding of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement tools and root cause analysis techniques. Knowledge of health and safety requirements within a manufacturing or food production environment. IT literate, with the ability to use production systems, performance data and reporting tools to drive informed decisions.
An attractive starting salary, plus 12% annual bonus, salary sacrifice pension with 6% employer contribution, 25+8 holiday entitlement, holiday purchase scheme, private medical insurance including family.
If you’re interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn’t quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
Production Manager in Bungay employer: Hays Engineering
As a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing business located in St Albans, we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and dynamic work environment that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. Our commitment to health and safety is matched by our dedication to providing comprehensive training and development opportunities, ensuring that our team members can thrive in their roles while contributing to meaningful projects that impact lives. Join us for a rewarding career where your expertise as an HSE Advisor will be valued and recognised.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Production Manager in Bungay
✨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 Hays Engineering, 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 Production Manager in Bungay
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 Hays Engineering 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 Hays Engineering
✨Know Your Manufacturing Processes
Before you walk into the interview with Hays Engineering, 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 Hays Engineering 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.
