Manufacturing Manager – Food Manufacturing

Excel Recruitment; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Excel Recruitment is seeking a Manufacturing Manager to lead its food manufacturing operation in Sydney, responsible for manufacturing, production, engineering and maintenance. You will drive performance, develop people and align production with customer demand and commercial objectives.

You will influence operating strategy, implement improvements, and build a high-performing team with a clear path toward broader executive leadership. A hands-on, results-oriented leadership style is essential.

Qualifications

• Significant manufacturing leadership experience, ideally 10+ years in food, beverage, FMCG or similar complex production environments.
• Strong knowledge of engineering, maintenance management and asset reliability.
• Experience improving ERP systems and manufacturing processes, with focus on production planning and scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the Production team, including supervisors and emerging leaders.
• Take ownership of operational outcomes, including production output, labour productivity, food quality, safety, waste and manufacturing costs.
• Oversee engineering and maintenance functions, ensuring effective preventative maintenance programs, timely breakdown response, equipment reliability and long-term asset performance.
• Drive improvements across manufacturing resource planning, master production scheduling, materials planning, capacity management and shopfloor control.
• Strengthen ERP and manufacturing systems, ensuring accurate production data, bills of materials, routings and operational reporting.
• Lead equipment upgrades, engineering projects, contractor management and commissioning activities.
• Build strong working relationships with Sales, Planning, Procurement, Warehouse, Finance, Quality Assurance and WHS teams to improve coordination.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance and WHS to maintain high standards of workplace safety, food quality and compliance, including GMP, HACCP and SQF requirements.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Communication & stakeholder management

Continuous improvement

Data-driven decision making

Commercial acumen

Education

Formal engineering qualifications

Tools

Infor M3

ERP systems

MRP II

Job description

Manufacturing Manager – Food Manufacturing

Are you an experienced manufacturing leader ready to take ownership of a production operation and make a real impact? Our client, a growing food manufacturing business, is seeking an accomplished Manufacturing Manager to lead its manufacturing, production, engineering and maintenance functions. This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially minded leader to strengthen operational performance, develop a high-performing team and play a key role in shaping the future growth of the business. For the right candidate, the position also offers the potential to progress into a broader operational leadership role, with a future pathway towards Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The Opportunity

Reporting into senior leadership, you will take the lead in driving manufacturing performance, developing people and improving the efficiency and reliability of the operation. You will play a key role in aligning production capability with customer demand, business priorities and commercial objectives.

You will have the opportunity to influence how the business operates, introduce improvements, develop future leaders and establish strong systems that support sustainable growth.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• Lead, motivate and develop the Production team, including supervisors and emerging leaders. Build accountability, strengthen team capability and create a positive performance-driven culture.
• Take ownership of key operational outcomes, including production output, labour productivity, food quality, safety, waste, yield and manufacturing costs. Establish clear targets and ensure production activities are delivered efficiently.
• Oversee engineering and maintenance functions, ensuring effective preventative maintenance programs, timely breakdown response, equipment reliability and long-term asset performance.
• Drive improvements across manufacturing resource planning, master production scheduling, materials planning, capacity management and shopfloor control. Work closely with Planning, Procurement and Warehouse teams to ensure resources are aligned with production requirements.
• Strengthen ERP and manufacturing systems, ensuring accurate production data, bills of materials, routings and operational reporting. Use data and performance measures to identify opportunities and improve decision‑making.
• Lead equipment upgrades, engineering projects, contractor management and commissioning activities. Develop and support capital investment proposals that deliver measurable operational improvements.
• Build strong working relationships with Sales, Planning, Procurement, Warehouse, Finance, Quality Assurance and WHS teams to improve coordination, resolve operational challenges and deliver positive customer and commercial outcomes.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance and WHS to maintain high standards of workplace safety, food quality and compliance, including GMP, HACCP and SQF requirements.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant manufacturing leadership experience, ideally 10+ years within food, beverage, FMCG or similarly complex production environments, with a proven ability to lead manufacturing operations and develop high-performing production teams.
• Strong technical knowledge of engineering, maintenance management and asset reliability, with demonstrated experience in MRP II, production planning, scheduling and manufacturing resource management.
• Proven experience improving ERP systems and manufacturing processes, with Infor M3 highly regarded, and a strong understanding of how customer demand, production capacity, inventory and operational performance align.
• A track record of delivering measurable improvements in productivity, cost control, equipment reliability and waste reduction, supported by strong commercial acumen, financial awareness and experience managing capital projects and investment.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to collaborate across all levels of the business, combined with a hands‑on, visible leadership style and a passion for developing people and driving continuous improvement.
• Formal engineering qualifications are highly desirable, although candidates with relevant technical qualifications and substantial manufacturing leadership experience will also be considered.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to step into a significant leadership position where you can make a genuine contribution to the success and future direction of the business. You will have the scope to influence operational strategy, build team capability, implement meaningful improvements and potentially progress into a broader executive leadership role.

Ready to take the next step in your manufacturing leadership career?