Most production manager jobs talk about strategy. This one expects you to run the line, lead the people, and still improve it.

You’ll spend most of your day where it actually matters - on the shop floor. Not in meetings, not buried in spreadsheets, but working side by side with the people who make the operation run.

That’s the difference here. You’re not there to observe. You’re there to lead.

And that means being visible, hands-on, and respected for it.

You’ll be the “captain on the pitch” - setting the standard, coaching in real time, and stepping in when things drift. You’ll work directly with operatives and a small group of shift managers, developing them, challenging them, and making sure standards don’t quietly slip over time.

If you’ve ever felt like your current role has pulled you too far away from the floor - this pulls you right back to where your impact is obvious.

The reward for that is control. Real influence over output, culture, and performance - not just accountability for numbers you can’t directly affect.

There’s also a genuine improvement mindset here. Not buzzwords - actual expectation. Time & motion thinking, industrial engineering principles, and a focus on doing things better, not just faster.

You’ll be trusted to challenge how things are done and improve them.

What you’ll be doing

* Leading a blending/production department to hit output, quality, and safety targets
* Managing and developing shift managers and operatives day to day
* Staying present on the shop floor for the majority of your shift
* Driving improvements using time & motion and efficiency-focused thinking
* Resolving technical and quality issues quickly, working cross-functionally when needed
* Ensuring training, standards, and procedures are consistently followed
* Taking ownership of the operation when senior leadership aren’t on site

What you’ll need

* Solid production management experience (5+ years is about right)
* Strong people leadership - coaching, challenging, and building standards
* A hands-on mindset - comfortable being on the floor most of the day
* Experience in food manufacturing ideally (beverage or pharma also works well)
* Exposure to both structured (blue-chip) and agile (SME) environments
* A process improvement mindset - someone who naturally looks for better ways to run things

About the company

This is a well-established food manufacturer with proper scale, structure, and expectations - but still close enough to the operation that good managers can genuinely shape how things run.

Standards matter here. So does output. But so does having the right person leading from the front, not managing from a distance.

It’s the kind of environment where people notice the difference between someone who talks about leadership… and someone who actually does it.

What you’ll get

* £60,000 – £65,000 salary (aligned to the reality of the role, not inflated headlines)
* A genuinely hands-on leadership role with visible impact
* Direct influence over team performance and operational standards
* The chance to step into a role with real ownership of the shop floor

How to apply

No need for a polished CV. If you’ve got something older, or just a LinkedIn profile, that’s more than enough to start a conversation.