Production Manager
Zest
Food Manufacturing | Hampshire | Competitive Salary + Benefits
Monday to Friday (Days)
There's a moment in every growing business where the person on the shop floor stops being "the one who covers everything" and becomes the one who runs the show. If you're a Shift Manager or Production Supervisor who's ready for that moment, this is it.
Our client is a well-established food manufacturer based in Hampshire, and they're on a genuine growth curve with new volume and new energy on the factory floor. What hasn't changed, and what they're determined to protect as they scale, is the culture: hands-on, people-first, and small enough that everyone still knows everyone's name. This isn't a business where the Production Manager sits in an office reading reports. It's one where you're on the floor, in the detail, alongside the team, making things happen.
They're now looking for someone to take the reins of the day-to-day production facility, someone ready to step up, take ownership, and grow into the role as the business grows around them.
The Role
Picture this: it's 6am, the first shift is filing in, and you're already walking the floor, checking the lines are set, the team's briefed, and yesterday's snags have been ironed out before they become today's problems. That's the rhythm of this role. You'll be the person the site turns to when something needs deciding, and the person driving standards up every single day.
Your key responsibilities will include:
* Owning day-to-day production planning and scheduling, making sure output, quality and efficiency targets are consistently hit
* Leading, motivating and developing the production team and building a culture of accountability and pride in the work
* Driving continuous improvement across the site, spotting where process, efficiency or waste can be tightened up
* Ensuring full compliance with food safety, hygiene and health & safety standards (BRC/SALSA-type environment)
* Managing labour, materials and resource planning to keep production running smoothly and cost-effectively
* Working closely with quality, engineering, technical and planning teams to keep the whole site moving in sync
* Reporting on performance, KPIs and production issues to senior management, and being a visible, credible presence on the floor
What They're Looking For
Here's the part that matters most: this client isn't hunting for a Production Manager with ten years of the exact same title on their CV. They're looking for someone with the right attitude, the right instincts, and the appetite to grow into a bigger role.
That means Shift Managers and Production Supervisors are very much encouraged to apply, particularly those who are ambitious, hands-on, and hungry for the next step in their career. If you've been quietly running your shift brilliantly and thinking "I could do this on a bigger scale," this is exactly the opportunity you've been waiting for.
You'll likely have:
* Experience in a food manufacturing environment (essential), ideally within FMCG or a fast-paced production setting
* A track record of leading, coaching or supervising a team, even if not yet at full Production Manager level
* A genuinely hands-on approach â€" you're comfortable on the floor, not just behind a desk
* Strong working knowledge of food safety, hygiene and health & safety standards
* The ambition and willingness to learn, with support from the business to grow into the role
* Natural leadership qualities, clear communication, calm under pressure, and a knack for bringing people with you
Why This Role
This is a business investing in its people as much as its production lines. As the company grows, so will the opportunities within this role has genuine scope for progression as the site expands, with the chance to shape processes and build a team culture from a position of real influence.
It's an intimate, people-driven environment where your contribution won't get lost in a big corporate structure, you'll be known, you'll be heard, and you'll see the direct impact of your work. If you want a role where you can make your mark and grow alongside a business that's genuinely going places, this is it.
**Interested?** Get in touch for a confidential conversation about the role, the business, and where it could take you.
Shaf | Zest
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