Manufacturing Shift Leader: Drive Safety & Performance

dssmith; Livingston; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

DS Smith in Livingston is seeking an experienced Shift Manager to lead a production shift and drive safety, quality and performance. You will develop a high-performing team and ensure efficient operation in a fast-paced packaging manufacturing environment.

You will collaborate across functions, run shift start-ups, review performance and deliver OTIF targets while maintaining GMP and audit readiness. This is a hands-on leadership role with clear accountability and development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in manufacturing leadership roles.
• Strong people leadership and coaching abilities.
• Continuous improvement mindset with experience driving performance.
• Desirable qualification in Health & Safety or Quality management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder influence.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities using data.
• Advanced IT skills and MS Office familiarity.
• Collaborative cross-functional relationship building.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop shift team to meet KPIs across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People.
• Champion proactive safety culture and ensure compliance with Health, Safety and Environmental standards.
• Lead daily shift start-up meetings, safety briefings and performance reviews.
• Drive continuous improvement to enhance productivity and reduce waste.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Planning to maximise service levels and OTIF.
• Build relationships across DS Smith network to share best practices.
• Coach and develop Team Leaders and production colleagues with PDRs and succession planning.
• Recruit, onboard and develop new team members as needed.
• Maintain GMP and housekeeping to ensure an audit-ready environment.
• Monitor production performance and complete shift reports and OEE data.
• Lead investigations into production issues and implement corrective actions.

Skills

Leadership

People development

Continuous improvement

Problem solving

Health & Safety

Communication

Data-driven decisions

IT skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Manufacturing reporting systems

Job description

DS Smith in Livingston is seeking an experienced Shift Manager to lead a production shift and drive safety, quality and performance. You will develop a high-performing team and ensure efficient operation in a fast-paced packaging manufacturing environment.

You will collaborate across functions, run shift start-ups, review performance and deliver OTIF targets while maintaining GMP and audit readiness. This is a hands-on leadership role with clear accountability and development opportunities.