Plant Manager: Meat Processing & Operational Excellence

Select Aust Sydney; City of Greater Shepparton; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad is recruiting a Plant Manager to oversee end-to-end operations at a leading meat processing facility in Australia. The role includes slaughter, boning, packaging, dispatch, and logistics with a focus on safety, quality and profitability.

The successful candidate will direct daily workflows, manage budgets, drive continuous improvement, and lead a skilled team of supervisors and operators while ensuring compliance with food safety and export standards.

Qualifications

• Must have direct lamb processing experience.
• Two years of experience managing large teams in lamb processing or manufacturing.
• Leadership background in meat processing or primary protein operations.
• Proven track record in budget management, cost control, and yield optimization.
• Deep expertise in food safety compliance, export regulations, and WHS standards.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily plant workflows to hit production targets, eliminate bottlenecks, and optimize yields.
• Manage operating and capital budgets while implementing cost-reduction strategies.
• Enforce strict regulatory standards and export certifications. Lead internal/external audits, compliance checks, and corrective action implementations.
• Champion safety policies, perform risk assessments, manage biosecurity, and oversee cold-room safety protocols.
• Recruit, mentor, and evaluate supervisors, operators, and staff while driving a strong safety and performance culture.
• Oversee livestock, packaging, and raw material procurement. Manage cold-storage dispatches and finished goods inventory.
• Partner with engineering teams to minimize unplanned downtime. Track KPIs (yield, waste, safety, output) to lead lean process improvements.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Food safety

Export compliance

WHS

Lean manufacturing

Supply chain

Job description

Randstad is recruiting a Plant Manager to oversee end-to-end operations at a leading meat processing facility in Australia. The role includes slaughter, boning, packaging, dispatch, and logistics with a focus on safety, quality and profitability.

The successful candidate will direct daily workflows, manage budgets, drive continuous improvement, and lead a skilled team of supervisors and operators while ensuring compliance with food safety and export standards.