Duty Manager

Arla Foods Plc; Middleton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading dairy manufacturer is seeking a Duty Manager to oversee day-to-day operations at their Stourton site in the UK. In this role, you'll drive performance by setting targets, managing teams, and ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards. The complex site operates multiple filling lines and caters to high-volume milk intake, offering a dynamic environment for career growth. Candidates should have experience in manufacturing operations and a data-driven approach to decision-making.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual pay review

Employer pension matched up to 6%

4x annual salary life assurance

Flexible benefits

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading operations in a plant or manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of safety, quality, and compliance standards.
• Ability to work within defined frameworks and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations at the Stourton site.
• Set targets and actions to optimise performance and adhere to safety standards.
• Drive continuous improvement and efficiency across processes and teams.

Skills

Experience in manufacturing operations

Data-driven decision-making

Leadership and team management

Safety and quality mindset

Collaboration skills

Tools

SPC

MDE

SAP

MES

OEE

Job description

Are you ready to lead by example and keep a complex factory running smoothly around the clock, ensuring safety, quality, and performance targets are met?

In this role, youll be the key contact for our Stourton site, setting direction across intake, process, production and despatch.

How you will make an impact?

As a Duty Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the site, setting targets and actions, optimising performance, and managing a cross-site team. You will champion safety, quality and compliance, drive resource optimisation, and collaborate with operations and support teams to meet site KPIs and budget.

Lead daily site operations across intake, process, production and despatch, setting targets and actions to optimise performance.

Promote a healthy, inclusive and secure working environment; ensure adherence to H&S standards / Cornerstone and manage non-compliance via LIA reporting.

Safeguard quality and food safety across the site, ensuring compliance with Arla standards, policies and legal requirements.

Drive continuous improvement and efficiency using APS, data-driven decision-making (SPC, MDE, SAP, MES, OEE, basic statistics) and support LCO teams.

resources and staffing with Area Team Leaders; coach and develop team members based on Our Leadership and Our Character.

What will make you successful?

You will bring experience leading operations in a manufacturing or plant environment, with a strong safety and quality mindset. You understand how to work within defined frameworks and budgets, and youre confident using data driven tools such as SPC, MDE, SAP, MES and OEE to guide decisions and improve performance. To thrive in this role, youll be a clear and calm leader who sets direction, challenges constructively and maintains team morale. Youll work as a collaborative partner, building strong relationships across production, maintenance, logistics and engineering. At the same time, youll bring an organised, solutions focused approach, able to prioritise effectively and make sound, data

Youll join the Powerhouse of the North

Arlas most complex site in the UK

with 15 filling lines, 190 SKUs and up to 600 million litres of raw milk intake each year. With recent investments totalling €80m and a team of 450 colleagues, Stourton offers a dynamic environment where you can grow, develop and make a real impact.

We offer

• Competitive salary
• Annual pay review
• Employer pension matched up to 6% (12% total contributory)
• 4x annual salary life assurance
• Flexible benefits including the option to buy up to 5 days annual leave and access to Reward Gateway discounts
• Strong career development and training opportunities (internal and external)

Would you like to join us?

If you want to lead operations and keep a complex site performing at its best, please apply as soon as possible as we will process applications on a continuous basis and close the recruitment once the right candidate is found. Initial deadline for applications is January 26 th .

For additional information, please contact