At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a large-scale beef processing operation and drive performance across multiple departments.
- Company: Join Stanbroke, a reputable family-owned Australian beef business with global reach.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth opportunities, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for strategic responsibilities and performance improvement.
- Why this job: Take ownership of operations and shape the future of a major facility.
- Qualifications: Experience in large-scale meat processing and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Ready to take full ownership of a large-scale, export beef processing operation? We are seeking a proven Plant Manager to lead our Grantham facility, driving performance across processing, boning, and logistics in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. This is a hands-on leadership role where you will be accountable for safety, production, people, and profitability - ensuring the plant consistently delivers against operational and commercial targets.
About Us: Stanbroke is a reputable family-owned Australian cattle and beef business. Our operations span Northern Queensland, with extensive cattle properties, backgrounding operations in Southern Queensland, state-of-the-art feedlots, a fully accredited beef processing facility, and global marketing capabilities. We offer a full range of grain-fed and grass-fed beef categories and export to over 40 countries worldwide.
About Your Role: As Plant Manager, you will lead a workforce of 1000+ employees and a senior leadership team of up to 10 direct reports across operations, engineering, QA, and support functions. You will take end-to-end responsibility for plant performance - from livestock receival through to finished product ensuring alignment across supply, production, and customer requirements.
What You’ll Be Responsible For:
- Leading all plant operations including processing, boning, rendering, value-add and loadout
- Delivering production targets across throughput, yield, and efficiency
- Driving cost control, labour optimisation, and plant performance
- Ensuring compliance with export, QA, food safety, and animal welfare standards
- Building and leading a high-performing leadership team
- Managing workforce planning, performance, and industrial relations
- Partnering with Engineering to maximise plant reliability and minimise downtime
- Aligning operations with livestock supply, customer specifications, and export schedules
- Identifying and implementing continuous improvement initiatives across the site
- Plant upgrades focused on efficiency, automation, and capacity growth
- Opportunity to play a key role in shaping future plant capability
About You: You are an experienced operational leader with a strong track record in large-scale meat processing or food manufacturing environments. You bring strong commercial nous and the ability to lead from the front, driving accountability and performance across a complex operation. You will have:
- Proven experience managing large, multi-department operations
- Experience with export markets and QA/compliance requirements
- Demonstrated ability to lead large teams and senior leaders
- Strong financial and commercial acumen
- A hands-on, visible leadership style
- Lead performance improvement across a large-scale export processing facility
- Drive reductions in downtime and improve plant efficiency
- Lift yield performance and cost per head outcomes
- Driving accountability, structure, and performance discipline across the site
Why Join Us?
- Lead a large, high-performing processing facility
- Be part of a fully integrated Australian beef business
- Drive meaningful impact across operations, people, and performance
- Work in a role with real scale, complexity, and opportunity
- Opportunity to grow your career within a large, vertically integrated business, with scope to take on broader leadership and strategic responsibilities over time
- Come in, take ownership, fix performance, and build the future of the site
If you’re ready to take ownership of a major operation and deliver results at scale, we’d like to hear from you.
Plant Manager in Grantham employer: Stanbroke Beef
Contact Detail:
Stanbroke Beef Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Plant Manager in Grantham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts, attend relevant events, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations. Understand their values and challenges, especially in the beef processing sector. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've driven performance and managed large teams in past roles. This will demonstrate your hands-on approach and ability to lead effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about joining our team at Stanbroke.
We think you need these skills to ace Plant Manager in Grantham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Leadership Style: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your hands-on leadership style. We want to see how you lead from the front and drive accountability in a large-scale operation like ours.
Demonstrate Your Experience: Be specific about your experience in managing multi-department operations, especially in meat processing or food manufacturing. We’re looking for proven results, so share those success stories!
Align with Our Values: Make sure your application reflects our commitment to safety, quality, and performance. Show us how you’ve ensured compliance with QA and food safety standards in your previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get to know you better. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Stanbroke Beef
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Plant Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of key performance metrics. Brush up on production targets, yield rates, and cost control measures relevant to the beef processing industry. Be ready to discuss how you've driven improvements in these areas in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires a hands-on leadership approach. Prepare examples that highlight your ability to lead large teams effectively. Think about times when you’ve motivated your team, resolved conflicts, or implemented performance improvement initiatives. Authenticity is key, so be yourself!
✨Understand Compliance and Safety Standards
Familiarise yourself with export regulations, food safety, and animal welfare standards. Be prepared to discuss how you've ensured compliance in past positions. This shows that you not only understand the operational side but also prioritise safety and quality.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about challenges you've faced in large-scale operations and how you overcame them. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses clearly and effectively.