Production Manager

Fbc UK; Batley; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

FBC UK, Batley bakery, seeks a Production Manager to lead the value stream with a customer-focused strategy, directing resource planning and operational delivery. You will drive profitability, champion continuous improvement, ensure safety and food standards, and inspire high performance across a ~800-strong workforce.

The role includes overseeing budgeting, capital projects, changeovers, and cross‑functional collaboration to support long-term success.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in fast-paced manufacturing.
• Proven ability to drive continuous improvement and cost efficiency.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP and food safety standards.
• Experience with SAP, Excel and recipe control platforms.
• Ability to manage large teams and complex capital projects.

Responsibilities

• Own the Batley factory operations and value streams, delivering 25,000 tonnes annually.
• Lead budgeting, cost control and profitability initiatives.
• Drive 2-3 year strategic plans for each value stream.
• Ensure safety, product quality and environmental compliance.
• Coach line leaders and conduct performance reviews.
• Oversee scheduling, labour control and changeovers.
• Lead continuous improvement and capital projects from planning to execution.

Skills

Leadership

Continuous improvement

Lean Six Sigma

5S

People management

HACCP

GMP

SAP

Excel

Promtek

Tools

SAP

Excel

Promtek

Job description

As Production Manager at our Batley bakery, you'll lead the value stream with a clear customer-focused strategy, ensuring effective resource planning and operational delivery. You'll drive profitability through targeted actions, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and ensure compliance with safety and food standards. With strong leadership, you'll inspire high performance and influence commercial decisions to support long-term success. This role is on an alternating shift pattern of 7am - 2.30pm and 2.30pm - 10pm Monday to Friday, with overtime when required. Main Responsibilities Operational Overview

Main Responsibilities

• Responsible for the Batley factory, producing 25,000 tonnes annually using a diverse range of equipment-from brand new installations to machinery over 80 years old-including 8 ovens, 6 chocolate enrobers, 2 moulding plants, and 5 assortment lines.
• Oversees 5 value streams: Baking & Ba7, Chocolatey, Seasonal, Logistics, and NPD & CI.
• Manages a site with an NSV of £90 million and a workforce of approximately 800 employees, rising to over 1,200 during peak season.
• Supports delivery of around 60 NPD projects per year., Develop and execute a 2-3 year strategy for each value stream, aligned with business goals.
• Deliver annual budget targets, focusing on cost control and profitability.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, product quality, health & safety, and environmental standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Champion product integrity and segregation, ensuring:
  • Only intended ingredients are present in products.
  • No unintended ingredients are introduced.
  • Factory-at-risk ingredients are handled with care and precision.

Leadership & Performance

• Own quality and process capability, working closely with operators, line leaders, and technical teams to maintain control and drive improvements.
• Conduct performance and development reviews for Value Stream Leads, ensuring consistency across streams.
• Lead value stream reviews to monitor KPIs, resolve issues, and coordinate support from engineering, finance, and technical functions.
• Promote audit-ready standards daily, ensuring compliance with GMP, BRC, and M&S codes of practice.

Scheduling & Safety

• Own scheduling processes, working with planners to reduce changeovers, improve efficiency, and enhance customer service-while maintaining allergen and food safety compliance.
• Manage agency labour control and associated costs through strong communication and ownership.
• Oversee health & safety across the factory, including accident investigations, risk assessments, SUSA, and Near Miss reporting.

Business Process & Strategic Support

• Ensure consistent, efficient production of high-quality products, with
• 80% of time spent on the shop floor.
• Resolve immediate shift issues while contributing to long-term strategic improvements.
• Demonstrate strong leadership, process knowledge, and understanding of HR, technical, and H&S policies.
• Apply commercial awareness to decision-making, balancing cost with customer service.
• Lead a long-serving, diverse workforce by promoting innovative thinking and long-term solutions aligned with the FBC Strategy. Extensive leadership experience in fast-paced manufacturing environments.
• Strong people management, communication, and coaching skills, with experience handling disciplinary and grievance processes and sound knowledge of employment legislation (e.g., Working Time Directive).
• Health & Safety and Food Safety qualified, with solid understanding of HACCP and GMP standards.
• Proven ability to manage new equipment installations and lead capital projects from planning through to execution.
• Highly proficient in digital systems including SAP, Excel, and recipe control platforms such as Promtek.
• Skilled in continuous improvement methodologies, including Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt level) and 5S.
• Experience working with complex automated manufacturing systems; engineering knowledge is a plus.
• Commercially aware, with the ability to factor in broader business drivers such as safety, efficiency, and profitability. We are FBC UK, Fox's Burton's Companies!...And we bake the UK's most incredible biscuits (we might be slightly biased, but we will leave that for you to judge).

FBC UK was a match made in heaven, with two of the top UK biscuits manufacturers (Burton's Biscuits and Fox's Biscuits) coming together to create one unique, integrated company. We are home to famous iconic brands, including Maryland, Fox's, Jammie Dodger & Rocky, to name just a few. We bake our incredible biscuits at eight bakeries across the UK, located at Ilse of Arran, Livingston, Blackpool, Llantarnam, Edinburgh, Kirkham, Batley & Dorset. We also have offices for our supporting services in St Albans, Liverpool and Moreton. Together, we employ circa 4,000 amazing employees across all our locations. We are currently the second biscuit manufacturer in the UK market with a strong ambition of becoming the number two biscuit manufacturer worldwide. We are proud to be part of the Ferrero enlarged family: such a fantastic and successful business. The Ferrero Group operates in more than 50 countries, with products sold in over 170 countries, represented by almost 38.000 employees worldwide, and a consolidated turnover of €12.7 billion (2020-21). Along with our fantastic brand portfolio, we also have long-term agreements to manufacture several sweet & savoury snacks across Mars, Jacobs, and LU branded products. In addition, we are proud to be a strategic partner for many retailer-branded products. Our employees make our business special. With strong family values, we believe FBC UK is a more prosperous and fun place to work with when people feel free to be themselves. We believe in the power of being authentic, entrepreneurial and supporting each whilst meeting our business goals. And don't forget… work hard but play harder!