Hands‑On Production Leader — FMCG & Automation

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners plc; Morpeth; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Morpeth site at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is seeking an experienced operations leader to guide daily production in a highly automated facility. You will lead a team of operators, drive safety, quality and efficiency, and partner with engineering and QESH to optimise plant performance.

We value hands-on leadership, people development and a track record of continuous improvement in FMCG manufacturing. This role offers visibility across the GB manufacturing network and opportunities to shape

Qualifications

• Experience leading or supervising teams within a manufacturing, production or operational environment.
• Background in engineering, manufacturing, food and beverage, FMCG or a similar fast-paced industry.
• Strong leadership and coaching capability, with the confidence to motivate and develop others.
• Experience managing performance, engagement and people-related processes.
• An understanding of production planning, labour utilisation, quality systems and operational KPIs.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to make informed decisions in a fast-moving environment.
• Experience driving continuous improvement activity and delivering measurable results.
• The ability to collaborate effectively across functions and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Degree-level education or an equivalent professional or technical qualification.
• Experience working within highly automated manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies or operational excellence programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations, driving performance against output, quality, yield and efficiency targets.
• Coach, develop and engage a team of operators, creating an environment where people can perform at their best.
• Use real-time performance data to identify opportunities, resolve issues and minimise downtime.
• Work closely with Engineering, QESH and wider manufacturing teams to optimise plant reliability and productivity.
• Oversee material usage, inventory control and syrup production to support production schedules.
• Ensure resources are deployed effectively whilst maintaining strong cost control.
• Support planned maintenance activity and drive compliance with food safety, quality and operational standards.
• Lead incident investigations, identify root causes and embed sustainable improvements.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, quality, cost and delivery performance.
• Play an active role in developing a flexible, capable and future-ready manufacturing team.

Skills

Team leadership

Manufacturing operations

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Production planning

Education

Degree-level education

Job description

Morpeth site at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is seeking an experienced operations leader to guide daily production in a highly automated facility. You will lead a team of operators, drive safety, quality and efficiency, and partner with engineering and QESH to optimise plant performance.

We value hands-on leadership, people development and a track record of continuous improvement in FMCG manufacturing. This role offers visibility across the GB manufacturing network and opportunities to shape