Night Shift Production Manager

The Sterling Choice; Lancaster; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Night shift allowance

Autonomy and responsibility

Established operation

Job summary

The Sterling Choice is recruiting a Night Shift Production Manager for an established food manufacturing business in Lancashire. You will take ownership of production performance across the night shift, leading teams and ensuring targets for safety, quality, efficiency and cost are met.

This role rewards hands-on leadership and decisive decision-making, with a basic salary of £55,000 and a night shift allowance bringing total earnings to around £60,000–£65,000.

Qualifications

• Experience managing production teams within food manufacturing is essential.
• Capable of balancing hands-on leadership with strategic oversight.
• Ability to resolve issues promptly when senior staff are unavailable.
• Proven record of improving performance, reducing waste, and boosting efficiency.
• Experience with high-volume food manufacturing, especially for major UK retailers.
• Comfortable taking responsibility and making difficult decisions.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the night shift operation and meet production targets safely.
• Lead, coach and develop night shift teams to high standards.
• Make quick, informed decisions without constant direction.
• Drive improvements in efficiency, waste, downtime and overall output.
• Ensure food safety, quality, hygiene and health and safety standards.
• Manage labour, absence, training and performance across the shift.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Technical teams to resolve issues and implement improvements.

Skills

Production management

People management

Food manufacturing

Safety compliance

Job description

Night Shift Production Manager

Lancashire | £55,000 + Night Shift Allowance (£60,000-£65,000 Total) | Monday to Friday | 10pm-6am

When something goes wrong at 2am, everyone looks to the person running the shift.

And that's where a good Night Shift Production Manager earns their money.

Because running nights isn't just about keeping the factory ticking over until the day team arrives.

It's about making decisions, managing people, solving problems and making sure the operation delivers, even when there isn't a senior management team around to lean on.

We're recruiting a Night Shift Production Manager for an established food manufacturing business in Lancashire.

You'll be taking ownership of production performance across the night shift, leading your teams and ensuring the factory delivers against its targets for safety, quality, efficiency and cost.

This is a role for someone who enjoys responsibility, can think on their feet and knows how to get the best out of a production team.

What will you be doing?

• Taking ownership of the night shift operation, ensuring production targets are achieved safely and efficiently.
• Leading, coaching and developing your teams, building a culture of accountability and high standards.
• Making decisions and resolving operational issues without needing constant direction.
• Driving improvements in efficiency, waste, downtime and overall production performance.
• Ensuring food safety, quality, hygiene and health and safety standards are consistently maintained.
• Managing labour, absence, training and people performance across the shift.
• Working with Engineering, Technical and other departments to resolve issues and implement improvements.

What are we looking for?

• Experience managing production teams within food manufacturing is essential.
• You'll need to understand the demands of a fast-paced food factory and be comfortable taking responsibility when things don't go to plan.
• We're looking for someone who can balance being hands-on with actually managing the operation.
• Someone who can make difficult decisions, challenge poor standards and develop the people around them.
• You might currently be a Night Shift Manager, Production Manager or an experienced Shift Manager ready for more responsibility.
• Experience within high-volume food manufacturing, particularly supplying major UK retailers, would be beneficial.
• And if you've got examples of improving performance, reducing waste or turning around an under-performing shift, even better.

What's on offer?

• £55,000 basic salary
• Night shift allowance taking total earnings to approximately £60,000-£65,000
• Monday to Friday - 10pm-6am
• An established food manufacturing operation
• Genuine autonomy and responsibility for the night shift
• The opportunity to develop your team and drive operational improvements

If you're an experienced food manufacturing manager who can take ownership of a night shift and deliver results without needing someone looking over your shoulder, we'd like to hear from you.