Cold Production Standards Manager in Penrith

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced food production leader to make a visible impact across businesses, taking ownership of the recipes, specifications and quality standards for every product in our sandwich room range. Reporting to the Executive Chef, you’ll lead range development with the food team, maintain the production manual and visit sites to audit delivery against agreed standards. You’ll also drive profitability across production, margin, waste and labour productivity, establishing clear staffing models, productivity measures and time-in-motion benchmarks for each location.

As the key link between central teams and site operations, you’ll support availability and output, contribute to initiatives such as health and safety and stock systems, build strong relationships with Operations and on-site Production Managers, and use performance insights to identify risks and deliver continuous improvement. This role will be primarily based at our Family Office in Rheged, Penrith, but the role will require frequent travel to our other sites in Tebay, Gloucester, Cairn Lodge (Scotland) and Tatton (Opening in 2028).

You will need to have a strong background in high-volume sandwich or cold food production, ideally across multiple sites, with proven experience of managing commercial performance across margin, waste and labour costs. You’ll be confident setting staffing models and productivity benchmarks, as well as writing, implementing and auditing production standards and manuals. A strong understanding of technical food standards, relevant food safety or HACCP qualifications, and experience of range or new product development would be advantageous.

You’ll also be an influential and collaborative leader who can build strong relationships, develop teams without direct line management responsibility and bring a genuine passion for food, with a keen eye for an appealing food-to-go offer.

At Westmorland we are a family business that started in 1972 from our farm in Cumbria, which runs unique motorway service areas – Tebay, Gloucester and Cairn Lodge – based on no franchises but instead our own Farmshops and Kitchens. We also have Junction 38, a services dedicated to HGV drivers, Rheged, a meeting place, Cafe, Gallery and Cinema, and the Westmorland Hotel situated on the edge of the Lake District.

We are proud to be connected to our place and that our family of colleagues share our values of Warmth, Graft and Courage. If you join our family it will be hard work at times but we offer a great range of benefits including generous discounts in our farmshops and kitchens, free meals when working on shift, generous holiday entitlements plus a paid day off for your birthday and more.