Food Manufacturing Ops Lead – Lean & People Development

Pilgrim's Europe; Dungannon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee discount platform

Leadership development

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Pilgrim's Europe is seeking an experienced Factory Manager for the Dungannon site to lead safety, quality, efficiency, and people performance. Reporting to the Site Director, you will drive continuous improvement, shape site strategy and lead large production teams to deliver exceptional results for customers and the business.

You will champion Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence and KPI-driven decision making, manage major projects and develop a high-performing culture focused on safety,

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing large operational teams in a high-volume setting.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, CI and Operational Excellence.
• Experience driving performance via KPIs, data analysis, and problem solving.
• Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong focus on Health & Safety, Quality, and people development.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing teams to meet safety, quality, service, and cost targets.
• Drive safety culture and Go for Zero initiative.
• Develop and implement operational strategies aligned with objectives.
• Deliver continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and EO tools.
• Manage labour, productivity, waste, yield, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Lead capital projects and NPD implementations.
• Coach and develop teams; succession planning.
• Monitor KPIs through data-driven decision making.
• Ensure audit readiness and compliance with Food Safety, GMP, EH&S standards.
• Control cost of conversion and improve profitability.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Operational excellence

Data analysis

KPI management

People development

Stakeholder management

Health & safety focus

Education

Degree or manufacturing qualification

Tools

Lean tools

Job description

Pilgrim's Europe is seeking an experienced Factory Manager for the Dungannon site to lead safety, quality, efficiency, and people performance. Reporting to the Site Director, you will drive continuous improvement, shape site strategy and lead large production teams to deliver exceptional results for customers and the business.

You will champion Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence and KPI-driven decision making, manage major projects and develop a high-performing culture focused on safety,