Production Manager - Food Manufacturing

Production Manager - Food Manufacturing

Lead the operation. Develop the team. Drive performance.

Caught & Cured Ltd produces premium smoked salmon for customers who expect outstanding quality, consistency and service. Behind every finished product is a complex operation involving skilled people, careful planning, exacting food safety standards and countless decisions that must be made well.

We are looking for an experienced food manufacturing leader to play a pivotal role in the day-to-day performance of our production operation.

Working closely with the Factory Manager, you will turn operational priorities into effective action on the production floor. You will lead the production team, strengthen performance and ensure that demanding production, quality and food safety standards are consistently achieved.

This is not a desk-based management position. We need a visible and decisive leader who understands food manufacturing, enjoys being present on the production floor and knows how to turn plans, standards and performance data into results.

The Role

Our expectations are straightforward but demanding: produce the right product, in the right quantity, at the right time, safely, efficiently and to an exceptional standard.

Working in partnership with the Factory Manager, you will help translate the wider operational plan into effective daily production activity. You will understand what is happening across the production floor, anticipate risks, challenge inefficiencies and ensure that problems are properly resolved rather than repeatedly worked around.

Your key areas of responsibility will include:

• Coordinating daily production activity in line with the priorities and direction agreed with the Factory Manager
• Delivering the production plan and meeting customer requirements
• Leading, organising and developing the production team
• Planning labour and deploying production resources effectively
• Monitoring productivity, labour efficiency, yield, waste, downtime and production costs
• Maintaining food safety, product quality, hygiene and GMP standards
• Ensuring effective communication and handovers between shifts
• Identifying production risks and escalating significant operational concerns promptly
• Investigating production and quality issues and implementing agreed corrective actions
• Introducing practical and sustainable improvements to working methods and performance
• Providing accurate production information, analysis and recommendations
• Maintaining high health and safety standards throughout production

You will work collaboratively with colleagues across Technical, Quality, Engineering and Supply Chain to ensure that production decisions support the performance of the entire factory and the wider objectives of the business. You will also provide appropriate operational management support and cover when reasonably required.

About You

We are not looking for someone who manages solely through spreadsheets, emails or instructions passed down from an office.

We need a Production Manager who is visible, credible and confident on the production floor. You will set clear expectations, develop your supervisors and hold people accountable while maintaining a positive and respectful working environment.

You will use data intelligently but understand the operational reality behind it. You will remain composed when priorities change, make sound decisions under pressure and turn improvement ideas into lasting working practices.

You will need:

• At least five years management experience within food manufacturing
• Practical knowledge of HACCP, GMP, hygiene and food safety requirements
• Experience of managing production plans, labour, productivity, yield, waste and costs
• A proven ability to lead, develop and hold production teams accountable
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• A practical, organised and hands-on management style
• The confidence to challenge inefficient practices and introduce improvements
• Strong communication, numerical and reporting skills
• The ability to work effectively with the Factory Manager and other departments
• Competence in Microsoft Office and the use of production data

Experience within seafood, chilled food or a high-care environment would be particularly valuable. Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing or another continuous improvement methodology would also be advantageous.

Why Join Us

Because your contribution will be visible and your results will matter.

You will join an established and growing business with a premium product, ambitious standards and a genuine commitment to improvement. Working alongside the Factory Manager, you will have the opportunity to influence how production is organised, how its people are developed and how performance is measured and improved.

This role offers:

• A significant leadership position within the production operation
• Meaningful influence over production performance and team development
• The opportunity to lead improvements with visible and measurable results
• A competitive salary
• Professional development and future career opportunities

Interested

Tell us what you have improved, not simply what you have managed.

Please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your food manufacturing experience, a measurable improvement you have led and why you are suitable for this opportunity.

Caught & Cured Ltd is an equal opportunities employer. We value different experiences and perspectives and welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.