Operations Manager (Production)

Southern Forests Employment Hub; Northcliffe; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Bannister Downs Dairy in Northcliffe, WA is seeking an experienced Production/Operations leader to drive growth while maintaining product quality. Based in our processing facility, you will lead a team of about 20, including six developing leaders, coordinating with maintenance, logistics, and processing teams.

You will combine hands-on leadership with planning, stock and team management, implement HACCP and food-safety practices, and help scale operations as volumes increase.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Working knowledge of HACCP and food safety systems.
• Strong planning skills and clear, direct communication.
• Ability to build a team, develop people and earn their respect.
• Genuine interest in taking responsibility and growing with the business.

Responsibilities

• Safe and efficient growth of production, without compromising product quality.
• Close day-to-day production management and planning to meet volume, quality and delivery targets.
• Building the team: developing our emerging leaders and earning the respect of the people you lead.
• Assessing our equipment and working with maintenance to keep the plant reliable as volumes increase.
• Food safety, including upholding of Export Registration, HACCP system, and quality policies.
• Improving systems and processes to prepare operations for smooth transition to increased scale.

Skills

Food manufacturing

Planning

Team leadership

Communication

Job description

Bannister Downs Dairy | Northcliffe, WA

Bannister Downs is a family-owned dairy at Northcliffe, in the Southern Forests of Western Australia. We process and bottle our milk on site, supply customers across WA and export into the Asia Pacific under an (Export) Approved Arrangement with the Federal Government.

The business is entering a period of strong growth, and we aim to grow without compromising the quality our customers know us for. We need someone to take responsibility for leading our production through that growth.

About the role

This role is based within our processing facility, being a food production role (not farming). Reporting to the Managing Director, you will run production day to day, leading a team of around 20 that includes six developing leaders. Working closely with our Maintenance Lead, Logistics Manager and the processing, filling and dispatch teams. This role includes a combination of hands on with the team to achieve improvements on equipment optimisation and processes, as well as desk work for planning, stock and team management.

We are currently in production Monday to Friday.

Key responsibilities

• Safe and efficient growth of production, without compromising product quality
• Close day-to-day production management and planning to meet volume, quality and delivery targets
• Building the team: developing our emerging leaders and earning the respect of the people you lead
• Assessing our equipment and working with maintenance to keep the plant reliable as volumes increase
• Food safety, including the upholding of our Export Registration, encompassing our HACCP system, working with our quality policies
• Improving systems and processes to prepare operations for smooth transition to increased scale

We’re open to an experienced Production or Operations Manager, and equally to a supervisor, shift manager or team leader who is ready to step up. Capability and attitude matter more to us than your current title, and someone who has come up through production, working hands‑on with the equipment and the product, will feel at home here. You’ll bring:

• Hands‑on experience in food or beverage manufacturing. Dairy is ideal, but meat, bakery, beverage and other chilled or perishable production are just as relevant
• A working knowledge of HACCP and food safety systems
• Strong planning skills and clear, direct communication
• The ability to build a team, develop people and hold their respect
• A genuine interest in taking responsibility and growing with the business

Living in the Southern Forests

The role is based at Northcliffe and you’ll need to live in the region. Pemberton, Manjimup and Quinninup are all within reach, with private college education available in Manjimup (Kearnan College). The cost of living is lower than in the city and the communities are close-knit. For candidates moving to the region, we’ll talk through relocation as part of the process.

What’s on offer

• An attractive package, based on experience
• A permanent role in a family business where your work is visible and valued
• Room to grow as the business does