Production Manager

SUMMARY:
PRODUCTION MANAGER (PROCESSED CHEESE)
Location: Queenstown, Eastern Cape

NON-NEGOTIABLE REQUIREMENTS: 
- Degree/Diploma inn Food Technology/Diary Science
- Minimum 7 years' experience in cheese production
- Minimum 5 years management experience

ROLE OVERVIEW: 

The Production Manager – Cheese Manufacturing will oversee and optimise all cheese production and packaging operations in a high-care, FSSC 22000–certified environment.
This role is accountable for safe, high-quality output, operational efficiency, cost control, and KPI delivery.
The incumbent will provide strong, hands-on leadership, ensure full food safety and quality compliance, and drive continuous improvement in line with business and customer requirements.

POSITION INFO:
Minimum requirements:

• Grade 12 / Matric / Equivalent.
• Degree or Diploma in Food Technology, Dairy Science, Production Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 7–10 years’ experience in cheese production (hard, processed, or mozzarella), with at least 5 years at a management level.
• Strong working knowledge of FSSC 22000 and high-care manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record in managing production budgets, KPIs, and large operational teams.

• Strong leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving capability.
• Hands-on, decisive, and results-oriented leadership style.
• Excellent analytical, planning, and operational problem-solving capability.
• Ability to lead teams under pressure and deliver results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Attention to detail, disciplined execution, and focus on quality compliance.

• Operational Management:
  • Oversee all cheese production and packaging processes, ensuring consistent output and adherence to production schedules.
  • Plan and manage daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules in line with business forecasts and customer demand.
  • Optimise equipment utilisation and minimise downtime through proactive maintenance coordination with Engineering.
  • Implement best-practice lean manufacturing principles to improve throughput, efficiency, and waste reduction.
• Food Safety, Quality, and Compliance:
  • Ensure full compliance with FSSC 22000 (V6), HACCP, GMP, and all relevant regulatory requirements.
  • Lead internal and external audits, ensuring 100% audit readiness.
  • Implement, monitor, and maintain critical control points (CCPs), hygiene standards, allergen controls, and product traceability.
  • Ensure finished products consistently meet quality specifications for texture, flavour, moisture, and packaging standards.
• Cost and Performance Management:
  • Track and manage production KPIs, including yield, throughput, wastage, labour productivity, downtime, and cost per unit.
  • Analyse production data to identify trends, issues, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
  • Implement corrective actions to address inefficiencies, quality deviations, or non-compliance incidents.
• People Leadership and Development:
  • Lead, mentor, and develop production supervisors, team leaders, and frontline staff.
  • Set clear performance objectives and accountability for all production areas.
  • Foster a culture of safety, discipline, high performance, and continuous improvement.
  • Ensure adequate succession planning and skills development within the department.
• Stakeholder and Customer Engagement:
  • Work closely with Quality, Supply Chain, Technical, and SHE teams to ensure seamless operations.
  • Participate in customer visits, technical reviews, and ensure customer requirements are fully understood and implemented.
  • Act as the primary point of escalation for any production or quality issues impacting key customers.
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation:
  • Drive operational excellence initiatives to improve process reliability, reduce waste, and enhance product quality.
  • Evaluate new technologies, equipment, and process innovations that could improve efficiency or product consistency.
  • Lead root cause analysis investigations for recurring production issues.