Planning & Basketwash FLM

Allied Bakeries | part of Associated British Foods plc; West Bromwich; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Allied Bakeries, part of Associated British Foods, invites applications for a leadership role in West Bromwich overseeing Planning and Basket Wash within Manufacturing Services. The role requires a proactive leader to drive efficiency, safety, and continuous improvement across teams.

You will report to the Manufacturing Services Manager and influence key stakeholder groups to ensure service continuity and cost-effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in manufacturing services or similar.
• Strong Excel and data interpretation skills.
• Ability to plan labor and resources and drive improvements.

Responsibilities

• Act as safety ambassador and ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
• Lead planning and Basket Wash teams to ensure continuity and efficient service.
• Set clear goals and performance expectations for operatives.
• Monitor operations to meet quality, safety, and performance standards.
• Coach and develop team to maintain engagement and accountability.
• Oversee production planning aligning with schedules and demand (including freezer products).
• Address service issues promptly and escalate when needed.
• Oversee loading/unloading of Artics to minimise delays.

Skills

PC literacy

Numeracy

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Adaptability

Enthusiasm

Tools

Excel

Job description

Allied Bakeries are owned by Associated British Foods. ABF is a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group with sales of £20.1bn and 138,000 employees in 56 countries. It has significant businesses in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia. Our sister companies in ABF UK Grocery produce products under many market-leading household brands, including Jordans, Ryvita, Pataks, Blue Dragon & Silver Spoon.
We are proud of our brands: we make top 10 UK grocery brand Kingsmill as well as Allinson’s and Sunblest. You’ll know us best through our white, wholemeal and seeded market-leading loaves, as well as Kingsmill 50/50, the nation’s favourite Healthier White, and our delicious pancakes, crumpets, hot cross buns and other bakery products.
The success of our business depends on us having the right people on the team. We are incredibly passionate about our business, but it isn’t for the faint-hearted – it’s pacey and demanding so our people need to have a positive attitude and to want to work inclusively. We take massive pride in what we do, not least in how colleagues based in our bakeries and depots have one of the best safety performance records in the industry.
Our Grocery Service Centre, based near Liverpool, is a hub for transactional activity across multiple ABF companies within the ABF Grocery division. Supporting some of our well-known brands such as Kingsmill, Pataks, Blue Dragon, Jordans, Ryvita and Silver Spoon, amongst others. We deliver Shared Service activities across a wide range of disciplines including Customer Services, Consumer Care, Finance, Payroll, HR and IS.
If you’re looking to join a business that is passionate, encourages you to be the best you can be, and values its people, we’d love to hear from you.

Overview Of Role

Location: West Brom
This role is responsible for leading the Planning and Basket Wash functions within Manufacturing Services, ensuring the delivery of efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective operations in line with production demands. Reporting directly to the Manufacturing Services Manager, the role holder will provide strong, inspirational leadership to drive team engagement, performance, and continuous improvement.This position requires a proactive, solutions-focused leader who can influence stakeholders, drive performance improvements, and support the wider manufacturing strategy through effective planning and service delivery.

Key Accountabilities

• To act as an ambassador for health and safety, engaging with teams to adopt safety first principles, ensuring all initiatives comply with health, safety, wellbeing regulations as well as company standards.
• Responsible for the planning and Basket Wash teams to ensure continuity of service, effective labour resourcing and driving efficient services.
• To set clear goals, targets and expectation of performance for all operatives within their relevant job roles.
• Monitor daily operations to ensure all tasks are completed to required quality, safety, and performance standards.
• Lead, coach, and develop team members to maintain high levels of engagement, accountability, and performance.
• Oversee production planning activities to ensure alignment with manufacturing schedules and customer demand – to also include planning of freezer products.
• Ensure any service issues are addressed promptly and where appropriate escalated in the correct forums.
• Oversee and maximise the loading and unloading of all articulated vehicles (Artics), ensuring efficiency and minimal delays within the basket wash.

The Right Person

• PC literate, including a working ability with Excel.
• Good numeracy / literacy skills.
• Analytical and critical reasoning skills.
• Problem solving (scenario planning in events of breakdowns).
• Analytical and a problem solver.
• Stakeholder management and collaborative working.
• Adaptability.
• Enthusiasm and Passion.