Food Production Assistant Manager

Ole & Steen; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free food on shift

Pension scheme

GP Helpline

Job summary

Ole & Steen is seeking a Food Production Assistant Manager to ensure the safe, efficient running of our production facilities, focusing on assembling, sealing and labeling sandwich products. You will lead production operatives and area leaders with a hands-on, results-driven approach.

We require a proven track record in food manufacturing, strong coaching and disciplinary skills, and excellent communication.

Qualifications

• Proven track record managing a team in a medium-sized food manufacturing business.
• GCSE Maths & English or NVQ in baking/confectionery.
• Experience mentoring, coaching and staff appraisals.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities.
• Knowledge of disciplinary procedures.
• Emotional intelligence.
• Decisive, hands-on leader with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Deploy production operatives and area leaders to run facilities safely and efficiently.
• Oversee safety, legality and quality of all products.
• Mentor and coach production teams to build development and performance.
• Attend weekly meetings with Senior Management to review performance.
• Maintain standardised waste figures and drive week-on-week improvements.
• Generate weekly rota and manage absence and annual leave.
• Deliver 121 meetings with direct reports and lead coaching sessions.
• Plan development activities: on-the-job training, workshops, cross-training and external courses.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Technical Compliance, Warehouse, Pick & Pack and Engineering.
• Support new product launches, ensuring the team is ready and the process stays stable.

Skills

Team leadership

Staff mentoring

Disciplinary knowledge

Emotional intelligence

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Decision making

Education

GCSE Maths & English

NVQ in baking/confectionery

Job description

Food Production Assistant Manager

At Ole & Steen, every product leaving our stores carries our name — and we're looking for someone who understands exactly what that means.

We need a Food Production Assistant Manager to ensure the safe and efficient running of our food production facilities — with particular focus on the assembly, sealing and labelling of sandwich products — through strong, hands‑on management of production operatives and area leaders.

THE OPPORTUNITY

• £42,000–£45,000, depending on experience
• 5 days out of 7, including 1 weekend day
• 45 hours per week

PACKAGE

• Free food whilst on shift
• Pension scheme
• GP Helpline

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Proven track record of successfully managing a team in a medium-sized food manufacturing business
• GCSE Maths & English or equivalent; NVQ in baking and confectionery or equivalent
• Demonstrated ability in mentoring, coaching and staff assessment, with experience of staff appraisals
• Strong leadership skills and effective communication abilities
• Knowledge and application of disciplinary procedures
• Good emotional control and emotional intelligence (EI)
• A calm, decisive leader able to influence and develop others, with a results‑oriented, hands‑on approach and strong attention to detail

A DAY IN THE LIFE

• Managing and deploying production operatives and area leaders to keep facilities running safely and efficiently
• Overseeing the safety, legality and quality of all products
• Providing mentoring, coaching and support to production teams to build their development and performance
• Attending weekly meetings with Senior Management to review performance and flag areas of concern
• Maintaining standardised waste figures and driving week‑on‑week improvement
• Generating the weekly rota in line with business needs, and managing absence and annual leave
• Delivering 121 meetings with direct reports, and leading coaching sessions, toolbox talks and CI forums
• Building and tracking a calendar of development activities — on‑the‑job training, workshops, cross‑training and external courses
• Working cross‑functionally with Technical Compliance, Warehouse, Pick & Pack and Engineering
• Supporting new product launches, making sure the team is ready and the process stays stable