Factory Manager

The Company

Laila’s Fine Foods are a family owned and operated business with a reputation for supplying high quality chilled and frozen ready meals to major retails and the foodservice sector. An opportunity is available for an individual to join the business as Factory Manager to play a pivotal role in the continued growth and expansion of the company.

The Role

Responsibilities will include the management and development of a team of circa 250 individuals, reporting directly to the Joint Managing Directors. The Factory Manager will co-ordinate manpower, manage a labour budget and ensure all staff are trained and adhere to Health and Safety standards. The company have substantial growth plans and the Manager appointed will play a key role in implementing practices and procedures that will underpin growth.

This position requires a management style with an emphasis on leadership and giving direction to the team in order to deliver the required production unit performance. The main challenges include: manufacture of products meeting customer expectations and specifications, quality standards, yield, labour variance, developing production schedules, minimising waste, training and the development of the operational department and the ability to install new processes and procedures.

The Factory Manager appointed will need to exhibit effective influencing skills and be able to communicate effectively with all senior management across all departments, and add their influence to decisions that will affect the profitability of the site. Previous experience of Lean Manufacturing tools and techniques such as 5S would benefit your application, and solid knowledge of HACCP, BRC, GMP is expected.

Role Accountabilities

  • To ensure that a safe working environment exists for all employees in their operation and that as a minimum their area meets the standards set out in the Group Health & Safety policy.
  • To ensure standards of quality, food safety, hygiene and housekeeping within their factory operation appropriate to a quality food manufacturer. Inputs, understands and translates the manufacturing strategy into a ‘living’ Factory Operational Plan which is clearly understood and owned by their team.
  • Manages the NPD process within their factory operation to ensure that all trials run successfully and through to product launch.
  • Owns training and development and performance management of individuals within their factory operation to enable progression to resource growth or to replace current roles, and to ensure that the necessary skills are in place at all levels.
  • Utilise appropriate agreed KPIs as a basis for the development of Performance Improvement Plans within the Factory Operation and cascade these KPIs through the Factory Operational Team, ensuring that they are translated and used at all levels.
  • Support and develop a culture within their factory operation where individuals feel able to challenge the status quo and encourage feedback from all levels. Support and implement change processes within their area in line with Bakkavor values.
  • Proactively looks at ways to improve their factory operation. A key player in delivering the agreed factory capital expenditure plans within the agreed factory budget.

The Person

We are seeking applicants who have experience of managing production and operational teams within a Food manufacturing environment. Proven experience of implementing production improvement programmes, waste reduction, training and development and budgetary management within a food manufacturing environment is also expected. Previous involvement in Plant CAPEX projects would benefit an application.

To apply pleas send your CV to david.beaver@lailasfinefoods.co.uk