Production Shift Manager

On behalf of our client who are the leading specialist in bottling services we are recruiting for a Production Shift Manager.

Salary - £52k

Hours of Work = 12-hour rotational shifts over a 3-week pattern. The shifts include days & nights over 5.5 days per week - Monday to Friday, half day Saturday.

Job Role:

As Production Shift Manager, you will lead the delivery of safe, efficient, and high-performing shift operations to ensure customer SLAs are met. Through effective leadership and continuous improvement, you will drive safety, quality, productivity, and operational performance. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, you will foster a culture of Operational Excellence, champion best practices, and ensure our Values are reflected in everything we do.

Duties:

Operational Leadership

• Manage the production function on shift to achieve safety, quality, production, efficiency and service targets, ensuring the safety, legality and quality of all products manufactured.
• Monitor and report on performance against key operational KPIs; implement timely corrective actions to address variances and drive continuous improvement.
• Manage production schedules, labour resources, changeovers and ramp-ups to maximise productivity and minimise downtime.
• Liaise with the Engineering Manager to schedule shutdowns for routine maintenance to minimise disruption.
• Collaborate with the wider manufacturing teams (engineering, maintenance, supply chain, etc.) to resolve operational challenges.
• Manage and provide effective shift handovers to allow for continuity of operations, communication of key issues and consistency of standards across shifts.
• Escalate critical issues in accordance with Company procedures and liaise with the Senior Management Team as appropriate.

People Management

• Lead, motivate and develop your Production Shift Supervisor and employees to maximise individual and team performance.
• Conduct effective and regular check-ins with employees to provide clear, balanced and constructive feedback on individual performance, facilitating and encouraging two-way communication.
• Manage attendance, disciplinary, grievance and performance management processes in line with Company policies.
• Plan and manage staffing levels to ensure sufficient shift cover, taking account of holidays, absence and operational requirements.
• Foster a positive, inclusive and high-performance culture that encourages employee engagement, teamwork, accountability and continuous learning.
• Ensure all staff are adequately trained; identify training and development needs to support succession planning to maintain operational capability across the team.

Compliance

• Champion best practice and operational consistency by ensuring compliance to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), GMP requirements, HACCP and all relevant legal, customer and company standards.
• Liaise with the Organisational Development Manager to develop and maintain a robust training plan for all production roles to encompass SOPs, compliance and health & safety.
• Ensure all production and maintenance documentation and records are completed accurately and in accordance with established procedures.
• Promote and maintain the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing, creating a proactive safety culture across the production environment.
• Promptly investigate and report any compliance concerns and work with the compliance team to determine RCA and implement corrective and preventative actions to eliminate future risk.
• Participate in the development and implementation of risk assessments and safe systems of work for all operations under your control.
• Ensure your team complies with all hygiene, environmental and health and safety instructions and actively challenge unsafe behaviours.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead and support improvement initiatives focused on productivity, waste reduction, quality enhancement, cost control and process optimisation.
• Use data insights to make controlled adjustments to equipment to optimise running efficiency and recommend improvement opportunities.
• Encourage employee involvement in improvement activities and problem-solving initiatives.

General

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with managers, work colleagues and wider teams, communicating effectively to promote collaboration, knowledge sharing and achievement of business objectives.
• Undertake additional duties and projects commensurate with the level of the role, as reasonably required by management.

Essential Criteria:

• Management / Supervisory experience gained within a lean manufacturing environment (FMCG).
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills with experience in driving process improvements.
• Effective communication skills with proven ability to lead and motivate a team.
• H&S qualification or extensive knowledge of Health & Safety regulations practices in an FMCG manufacturing environment.
• Previous experience working towards regulatory and customer standards
• Flexible to work rotational shifts (to include days, nights, weekends) and overtime when necessary to meet customer demands.