Production Manager (Shifts) - Oxfordshire way

Production Manager (Shifts)

Food manufacturing

45k

Oxfordshire way

Company

“It’s really quite relaxed and it’s very friendly.”

That’s how the Operations Manager described the business to us.

They’re a food manufacturer. They took a fifty year old site and invested in it. Heavily. There’s seven factories there now. They’re building ANOTHER new plant as we speak. The last one was only finished a year or two ago.

They consistently operate at 99.7% OTIF.

They focus on two things. Customer service level, and waste.

If they can do that, consistently, build new factories, and do all that while characterising the place as ‘relaxed and friendly’, fair play.

He did come across as down to earth, relaxed and friendly as well. I genuinely believed him.

Job

You’re managing four shift managers. Throughout your time there, you’ll rotate around the different factories (all on the same site, though, so your commute won’t be hurt!).

You’ll help coach them, and be responsible for between 40 and 70 people on a shift (depending on the site you’re running at the time).

There’s company wide training initiatives. There’s constant implementation of CI and lean manufacturing across the business, which you’ll be able to get stuck into.

I mean, I could spend ages describing what a manufacturing manager in a 400 person factory does, but if you don’t know you’re probably not right for the job (and if you’re right you probably know already!).

What you might not like

It’s on shifts and it’s a non-standard shift pattern.

4 weeks rotating – 06:00 to 14:30 / 2 weeks of 09:00 to 18:00 / 18:00 to 02:30 plus 1 in 4 weekend cover.

Because the site is pretty big (and because they’re operating consistently at such a high level), you’re going to need to learn the processes before implementing change. If you come in like a bull in a china shop, then it might be frustrating.

From what the Ops Manager tells us though, it isn’t that change isn’t possible – it can actually happen really quickly – it’s just you need to understand what is already in place before you’ll be in a position to sort things out.

You

When I asked the line manager what he wants in a person, he said “ambitious”. Being a bit curious (and not being too fussed about sounding a bit stupid), I asked him why he wanted someone ambitious.

He stopped and thought for a minute.

Someone ambitious, but not just in themselves. Ambitious for the team. Ambitious for their business. Someone who will have high expectations of themselves and their team. Someone who actually wants to be proud of their work, proud of their team.

You don’t need to have worked in food manufacturing (but it’s good if you have, of course!).

Automotive would be great. Another part of FMCG would be good too. Drinks manufacturing, food manufacturing. You get the idea.

You’re happy with the shift pattern. You like the sound of the business. You’ve like manufacturing and want to work somewhere like this.

If you’re interested in finding out more, get in touch with us at lois.osborne@silven.co.uk or call 0161 832 7463