Production Lead

CHEP; Purfleet-on-Thames; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

CHEP is seeking a Production Lead to join our on-site team at Tesco in Thurrock. This 4-on-4-off day shift (0600-1800) offers a pathway into management while remaining hands-on, leading a small team and driving continuous improvement in safety, quality, and efficiency.

You will supervise and coach staff, build strong relationships with third-party teams, report KPIs, and champion a zero-harm culture. The role includes hands-on operations and data-driven improvements within a busy production

Qualifications

• 3+ years in production, manufacturing, or logistics.
• Experience in lean/CI operational roles is a plus.
• Familiarity with quality standards and matrix structures.
• Leadership, project management, and change capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead by example within the assigned functional area, guiding peers and troubleshooting issues, and ensuring smooth production operations.
• Actively support production activities, stepping in during shifts or breaks to maintain workflow and operational continuity.
• Collaborate with plant administration to ensure adherence to established policies and procedures, promoting consistency and operational compliance.
• Assist Plant leadership in enforcing policies and procedures to maintain inventory accuracy and ensure operational efficiency.
• Act as the subject matter expert for specialized areas, such as forklift operations, pallet sorting, or repair lines, providing expertise and ensuring best practices are followed.
• Fulfill assigned production duties, ensuring quality and efficiency in line with plant performance goals.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Data analysis

Scheduling

Teamwork

Adaptability

Tools

MS Office

Job description

CHEP helps move more goods to more people, in more places than any other organization on earth via our 347 million pallets, crates and containers. We employ approximately 13,000 people and operate in 60 countries. Through our pioneering and sustainable share-and-reuse business model, the world’s biggest brands trust us to help them transport their goods more efficiently, safely and with less environmental impact.

What does that mean for you? You’ll join an international organization big enough to take you anywhere, and small enough to get you there sooner. You’ll help change how goods get to market and contribute to global sustainability. You’ll be empowered to bring your authentic self to work and be surrounded by diverse and driven professionals. And you can maximize your work-life balance and flexibility through our[Hybrid Work Model](https://urldefense.com/v3/ https:/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https3A2F2Fwww.youtube.com2Fwatch3Fv3DA17SyZVJM8826t3D46s&data=047C017Cdante40sayitloud.us7Cbd0520a38f5b4cf5217908d9e4eacb6c7C2c02d76e40374bffa2b1c104fbb1ce917C07C07C6377925193525846817CUnknown7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn03D7C3000&sdata=5sr43hFkHrq3lpQyYEY80aZ3n3plQMib95NSRWnCmmw*3D&reserved=0).

Job Description

Key Responsibilities May Include:

• Lead by example within the assigned functional area, offering guidance and support to peers, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring smooth production operations.
• Actively support production activities, stepping in during shifts or breaks to maintain workflow and operational continuity.
• Collaborate with plant administration to ensure adherence to established policies and procedures, promoting consistency and operational compliance.
• Assist Plant leadership in enforcing policies and procedures to maintain inventory accuracy and ensure operational efficiency.
• Act as the subject matter expert for specialized areas, such as forklift operations, pallet sorting, or repair lines, providing expertise and ensuring best practices are followed.
• Fulfill assigned production duties, ensuring quality and efficiency in line with plant performance goals.

About the role

We’re looking for a Production Lead to join our on-site solution at Tesco in Thurrock. This role is a 4-on-4-off Day shift, working from 0600-1800. It’s a fantastic opportunity to step into a management role while continuing hands‑on operational work. You’ll lead a small team, drive continuous improvement, and build your skills in health & safety, quality, and leadership.

What you’ll do

• Supervise, coach, and develop employees
• Promote strong relationships with third-party management teams
• Lead daily shift briefs and report KPIs
• Drive a zero-harm culture and lead incident root cause analysis
• Own safety, quality, and production controls
• Monitor holiday bookings and manage absence levels
• Conduct tours using the CHEP Management Observation Tool (MOT)
• Delegate yard and warehouse tasks to FLT drivers
• Champion continuous improvement through data analysis
• Deputise for the Site Lead when required

What we need from you

• 3+ years in production, manufacturing, or logistics
• Experience in lean/CI operational roles is a plus
• Familiarity with quality standards and matrix structures
• Highly organised, proactive, and self‑motivated
• Skilled in communication and problem‑solving
• Proficient in MS Office
• Leadership, project management, and change capabilities

Remote Type

Not Remote

Skills to succeed in the role

Adaptability, Computer Literacy, Data Literacy, Empathy, Experimentation, Mathematic Literacy, Scheduling, Taking Ownership, Teamwork, Understand Customers, Written Communication

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to developing a diverse workforce in which everyone is treated fairly, with respect, and has the opportunity to contribute to business success while realizing his or her potential. This means harnessing the unique skills and experience that each individual brings and we do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Individuals fraudulently misrepresenting themselves as Brambles or CHEP representatives have scheduled interviews and offered fraudulent employment opportunities with the intent to commit identity theft or solicit money. Brambles and CHEP never conduct interviews via online chat or request money as a term of employment. If you have a question as to the legitimacy of an interview or job offer, please contact us at [e-mail].