Packaging Manager

Next Phase Recruitment Limited; Worthing; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Next Phase Recruitment Limited has partnered with a pharmaceutical manufacturing site to appoint a Packaging Manager to lead the Inspection, Labelling and Packaging function in Worthing.

This high-impact leadership role requires clear direction, robust standards, and the ability to drive performance across a frontline area critical to patient safety and product quality. You will own a team of around 17 and deliver sustained improvements.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership experience within pharmaceutical packaging or inspection operations (GMP regulated).
• Proven background in sterile GMP manufacturing environments.
• Experience managing teams in highly regulated, audit-driven settings.
• Ability to drive change and reset standards where needed.
• Understanding of GMP, compliance expectations and operational risk.

Responsibilities

• Oversee inspection, labelling and packaging of products, with focus on sterile operations.
• Ensure all inspection activities are completed in controlled environments by trained personnel.
• Monitor operational performance, managing risks to product quality and patient safety.
• Lead, develop and manage a team (circa 17), set expectations and drive accountability.
• Build and implement structured training and upskilling plans across the team.
• Plan and coordinate packaging schedules to meet delivery timelines using S&OP data.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, cost, safety and quality.
• Embed Lean principles including Visual Management, 5S and Standard Work.
• Re-establish and strengthen processes to ensure consistency and compliance.

Skills

Leadership experience

GMP (Sterile)

Team management

Lean principles

Change management

Job description

Packaging Manager (Inspection, Labelling & Packaging)

We’re partnering with a pharmaceutical manufacturing site to appoint a Packaging Manager to lead their Inspection, Labelling and Packaging function.

This is a high-impact leadership role, created to strengthen control, rebuild standards, and drive performance across a critical part of the operation. You’ll take ownership of a team and process that sits directly on the frontline of patient safety and product quality.

The Opportunity

This isn't a steady-state role, you’ll be stepping into an environment that requires strong leadership, clear direction, and the confidence to challenge and reset standards.

You’ll play a key role in ensuring inspection and packaging operations are fully compliant, audit-ready, and operating efficiently, while driving behavioural and process improvements across the team.

The Role

You’ll lead the Inspection, Labelling and Packaging function, ensuring sterile products are processed safely, compliantly and to the highest standard.

Working closely with production leadership, you’ll balance day-to-day delivery with longer-term improvements, embedding robust processes and raising operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the inspection, labelling and packaging of products, with particular focus on sterile operations
• Ensure all inspection activities are completed in controlled environments by fully trained personnel
• Monitor operational performance, proactively managing risks to product quality and patient safety
• Lead, develop and manage a team (circa 17), setting clear expectations and driving accountability
• Build and implement structured training and upskilling plans across the team
• Plan and coordinate packaging schedules to meet delivery timelines using S&OP data
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, improving efficiency, cost, safety and quality
• Embed Lean principles including Visual Management, 5S and Standard Work
• Re-establish and strengthen processes where required, ensuring consistency and compliance

What We’re Looking For

• Strong leadership experience within pharmaceutical packaging or inspection operations
• Proven background in sterile GMP manufacturing environments
• Experience managing teams in highly regulated, audit-driven settings
• Ability to drive change, challenge behaviours and reset standards where needed
• Comfortable managing performance and having difficult conversations when required
• Strong understanding of GMP, compliance expectations and operational risk
• Track record of delivering process improvements and efficiency gains using Lean principles

Why This Role?

• Opportunity to take full ownership of a critical function
• Visible leadership role reporting directly into the Head of Production
• Chance to make a tangible impact, rebuilding processes, improving team performance and elevating quality standards
• Work within a regulated sterile manufacturing environment with high accountability

Working Pattern

• Monday to Friday
• Approx. 07:00 – 15:00
• Site-based role in Worthing