Production Team Leader – 12-Month Parental Leave Contract

Sara Lee Australia; Gosford; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Mon-Fri day shift

Additional leave day

Employee Assistance Program

Product discounts

Cake!

Career opportunities

Job summary

Sara Lee Australia on the Central Coast invites a seasoned Production Team Leader for a 12-month parental leave contract. You’ll drive safety, quality and team engagement while hitting daily production targets in a fast-paced bakery environment.

Working Monday to Friday day shift on a 9‑day fortnight roster, you’ll mentor a capable team, champion continuous improvement and ensure HACCP/GMP compliance, training, and seamless operations. Cake lovers welcome.

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in manufacturing, food production, warehousing or similar operations.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to achieve operational targets through effective leadership.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting capability.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
• Proactive approach to continuous improvement and team development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support your production team to deliver daily operational objectives.
• Manage production activities to achieve productivity, efficiency, and quality targets.
• Minimise downtime, waste and rework through effective problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Investigate production issues, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Coach and develop team members to ensure compliance with policies, procedures and standards.
• Champion workplace safety and foster a positive and proactive culture.
• Ensure HACCP, GMP, allergen management and sanitation requirements are met.
• Drive employee engagement through regular communication, feedback and recognition.
• Identify and implement process improvements and cost-saving initiatives.
• Support the development of a high-performing, collaborative team environment.

Skills

People leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Mechanical aptitude

Continuous improvement

Prioritisation

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

SAP

Job description

Production Team Leader – 12-Month Parental Leave Contract

Lead a high-performing team with one of Australia's most iconic food manufacturers.

At Sara Lee, we believe dessert is the best part of the meal. Proudly based on the Central Coast, we've been creating delicious desserts and baked goods for over 50 years using quality ingredients and trusted recipes. As we continue to grow, we're looking for an experienced and motivated Production Team Leader to help drive performance, safety, quality, and team engagement across our manufacturing operations.

This is a 12-month parental leave contract with the potential for ongoing opportunities for the right candidate.

About the Role

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll lead by example, supporting your team to achieve production targets while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and food manufacturing excellence.

The role is primarily Monday to Friday on day shift and operates on a 9-day fortnight roster, giving you every second Friday off.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support your production team to deliver daily operational objectives.

• Manage production activities to achieve productivity, efficiency, and quality targets.

• Minimise downtime, waste, and rework through effective problem-solving and continuous improvement.

• Investigate production issues, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.

• Coach and develop team members to ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and standards.

• Champion workplace safety and foster a positive and proactive culture.

• Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMP, allergen management, and sanitation requirements.

• Drive employee engagement through regular communication, feedback, and recognition.

• Identify and implement process improvements and cost-saving initiatives.

• Support the development of a high-performing, collaborative team environment.

About You

You are a confident people leader who enjoys developing teams and delivering results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

To be successful, you will have:

• Previous experience leading teams in a manufacturing, food production, warehousing, logistics, or similar operational environment.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• A demonstrated ability to achieve operational targets through effective leadership.

• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.

• Strong mechanical aptitude and the ability to troubleshoot operational issues.

• The ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.

• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and team development.

Desirable Experience

• Food manufacturing experience.

• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP, and food safety systems.

• Experience using ERP systems such as Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, or similar.

• Understanding of Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement methodologies.

Why Join Sara Lee?

• Competitive salary package.

• Monday to Friday day shift roster with every second Friday off.

• Additional leave day each year.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Product discounts.

• Cake! Plenty of cake.

• Work with a passionate team dedicated to quality and innovation.

• Potential ongoing career opportunities for high-performing employees.