Manufacturing Team Leader

Medik8; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing: 25 days holiday + bank hols

Flexible & Hybrid working

Private Medical Insurance

Mental Health support

Job summary

Medik8 is expanding its production operations and seeks an experienced Hygiene Team Leader to drive sanitation excellence at our Innovation Centre. You will lead a hygiene team, own cleaning SOPs, ensure GMP compliance, and collaborate across QA, Engineering and Manufacturing to maintain a pristine manufacturing environment.

The role involves shift work (AM/PM) with responsibilities for training, documentation, deviations, and environmental health and safety within COSHH guidelines.

Qualifications

• GMP experience supervising hygiene in a regulated environment.
• Ability to draft and enforce cleaning SOPs with QA.
• Strong COSHH knowledge and chemical handling skills.
• Experience training and developing operational teams.
• Familiarity with deep cleaning of production equipment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and schedule daily hygiene activities for the Hygiene Team.
• Deliver initial and refresher training on cleaning techniques and COSHH.
• Own and update cleaning SOPs in collaboration with QA.
• Audit cleaning logs, checklists and sign-offs for compliance.
• Act as first point of contact for deviations and corrective actions.
• Oversee sanitation of production lines and equipment to prevent cross-contamination.
• Ensure safe storage and handling of cleaning agents per COSHH.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Manufacturing and QA to minimize downtime.
• Manage general and hazardous waste disposal per safety commitments.

Skills

GMP Experience

SOP Development

Chemical Safety

Leadership

Technical Cleaning

Communication

Education

Health & Safety qualifications

Job description

Medik8 is transforming the skincare industry through science-backed formulation, clinical efficacy, and sustainable practices. As our production operations expand, maintaining exceptional hygiene standards across our Manufacturing and Blending departments is fundamental to delivering the premium skincare products our customers trust.

We are seeking a proactive and detail oriented Hygiene Team Leader to lead our manufacturing machinery hygiene operations at our Innovation Centre. Reporting to the Engineering Manager and working in close partnership with all aspects of Manufacturing, you will be the driving force behind our sanitation excellence. You will lead, inspire, and upskill a dedicated hygiene team, take full ownership of cleaning Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), ensure stringent Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance, and maintain an immaculate manufacturing environment.

We have opportunities available across both shifts: AM (06:00 – 14:30) and PM (14:00 – 22:30)

For this opportunity, we are offering between £32,000 - £34,000, depending on experience.

In More Detail, Your Role Will Include:

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, schedule, and coordinate the daily activities of the Hygiene Team, allocating tasks effectively to meet departmental sanitation schedules while fostering a supportive, high-performance team culture.

• Training & Upskilling: Deliver structured initial and refresher training for team members covering cleaning techniques, safe machinery handling, COSHH guidelines, and PPE usage.

• SOP Ownership & Compliance: Partner with the Quality Assurance (QA) team to draft, review, update, and implement robust cleaning SOPs that adhere strictly to GMP standards.

• Quality Auditing & Documentation: Audit and create cleaning logs, checklists, and daily sign-offs, ensuring accurate, timely, and inspection-ready record-keeping.

• Deviation Resolution: Serve as the first point of contact for hygiene-related deviations or cleaning failures, initiating swift corrective actions and effectively communicating to Engineering, QA and Production management.

• Facility & Equipment Sanitation: Oversee and execute deep cleaning and sanitisation of production lines, cleanrooms, and complex processing machinery, preventing cross-contamination risks.

• Chemical Safety & COSHH: Supervise the safe storage, dilution, handling, and inventory control of cleaning agents and disinfectants in full alignment with COSHH regulations.

• Cross-Functional Scheduling: Act as the primary operational bridge between Hygiene, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance, scheduling cleaning routines to minimise production downtime without compromising high quality standards.

• Waste & Environmental Management: Manage compliant disposal and segregation of general and hazardous production waste streams in line with company safety and sustainability commitments.

What We Are Looking For

Our Commitment to Inclusion (The 60% Rule):

Research shows candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often only apply if they meet 100% of criteria. At Medik8, we care about potential and transferable talent. If you meet at least 60% of the essential criteria, we encourage you to apply!

Essential Criteria (What you definitely need):

• GMP Experience: Demonstrable experience supervising or leading hygiene and sanitation operations within a regulated GMP environment (such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or food processing).

• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Development: Practical experience creating, editing, and enforcing cleaning SOPs in collaboration with quality departments.

• Chemical & Safety Literacy: Solid working knowledge of industrial disinfection methods, chemical handling, dilution calculations, and COSHH compliance.

• Leadership & People Development: Proven track record of training, coaching, and motivating operational teams to maintain high standards of cleanliness.

• Technical Cleaning Acumen: Practical familiarity with deep cleaning procedures for production vessels, filling machinery, and manufacturing environments to prevent cross-contamination.

• Communication & Collaboration: Clear verbal and written communication skills to deliver team briefings, complete compliance documentation, and coordinate effectively with Manufacturing and QA leadership.

Desirable Criteria (The 'nice-to-haves'):

• Formal qualifications in Health & Safety, Food Hygiene, or Chemical Handling (e.g., IOSH, Level 3 Food Safety / Manufacturing Hygiene, HACCP Level 3, or COSHH certifications).

• Practical experience utilising continuous improvement tools (such as 5S or Lean methodologies) to optimise sanitation schedules and chemical store organisation.

• Familiarity with managing industrial hazardous waste streams.

• Proven RCA (root cause analysis) experience and confident in conducting RCA to define the true root cause to generate corrective and preventive actions.

About us

Founded in 2009 by UK scientists and brothers, we are a British, B Corp™ certified skincare brand renowned for clinical results without compromise. Our mission is to simplify the route to great skin through our pioneering CSA Philosophy®: Vitamin C plus Sunscreen by day, and Vitamin A by night.

Culture & Benefits

We are a team of collaborative go-givers fuelled by a purpose-driven mentality. Innovation is at our core; we pride ourselves on doing everything in-house, challenging the norm and pushing the boundaries of possibility. We work with integrity and agility, ensuring our commitment to sustainability and quality is never compromised. Above all, we believe in community. Our diverse talents work cross-functionally because we know we achieve more together. It’s just who we are!

Some of the perks of being part of the Medik8 team include:

• Wellbeing: 25 days holiday + bank holidays, Flexible & Hybrid working, Private Medical Insurance, Mental Health support.

• Rewards: 75% Discount, Annual Performance Bonus, Long Service Awards.

• Growth: Up-skilling support, regular Lunch & Learns, Flexible Career opportunities.

• Impact: 2 Volunteering days per year, Matched Charitable Giving Scheme.

Want to do a little more research before you apply?

Head over to our main careers page to find out more about the team and our values. You can also find out more about us on LinkedIn, Glassdoor & Instagram.

Our BCorp Commitment to JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion)

At Medik8, we are committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where every individual feels respected, valued, and empowered. We believe a rich tapestry of backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives fuels the innovation behind our products.

Research shows many candidates only apply if they meet 100% of a job description, however, we use the "60% Rule": if you meet over 60% of the requirements and have the passion to learn the rest, we want to hear from you.

Our Inclusive Hiring Standards:

• Fair Chance Hiring: To support systemic justice, we do not request criminal record or credit checks during the application stage (unless legally required for the role).

• Blind Recruiting: We use anonymised CV screening to focus purely on your talent and reduce bias.

• Disability Confident: As a Level 2 employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum role criteria.

• Immigration Integrity: We welcome all applicants within current Home Office guidance on sponsorship and Right to Work. We never artificially manipulate role scopes or salaries to meet requirements.