Production Shift Leader

WINSEARCH; Elland; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading FMCG manufacturer in Elland is looking for a Production Shift Leader to oversee and guide a high-performing production team. This role involves ensuring safety and quality standards while driving continuous improvement and operational excellence. The ideal candidate should have experience in food manufacturing and strong leadership abilities, with opportunities for career development and training. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

Benefits

Excellent salary package

Career development opportunities

Comprehensive training and support

Collaborative leadership environment

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a leadership role within FMCG or food manufacturing.
• Track record of managing teams to meet production targets.
• Confident in using structured problem-solving tools.

Responsibilities

• Ensure a safe working environment through effective risk management.
• Uphold all food safety and quality standards.
• Drive productivity and safety improvements using Lean tools.

Skills

Leadership in FMCG

Understanding of operational processes

Excellent communication skills

Knowledge of food safety practices

Problem-solving skills

Team coaching and development

Education

Level 3 Advanced Food Hygiene

Lean Practitioner / CI Qualification

Job description

Job Title: Production Shift Leader
Shift Pattern: Monday Friday 6AM-2PM / 2PM-10PM
Salary: Up to £35,000 DOE
Location: Elland, West Yorkshire

Company Overview

Winsearch UK is proud to be partnering with a leading FMCG manufacturer, searching for exceptional Shift Leaders to join and lead high‑performing production teams. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in a fast‑paced, forward‑thinking business where operational excellence and personal development are at the core.

Role Overview

As Shift Leader, you will be responsible for leading your production team on shift to deliver outstanding safety, quality, and productivity performance. Working in close collaboration with the Shift Manager and CI Manager, you will ensure that products are cooked, filled, chilled, packed, and despatched in line with production plans. 90% of your role will be spent actively on the production floor, setting standards through your leadership and behaviours. You will foster a culture of process confirmation and audit readiness, driving team capability and continuous improvement to enable the business to meet its operational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure a safe working environment is maintained at all times through effective management of risk assessments, accident investigations, and proactive safety walks.
• Uphold all food safety (including CCPs), hygiene, and quality standards through daily process confirmations, audits, and corrective action.
• Monitor shift performance against plan, applying structured problem‑solving and countermeasures where deviations occur.
• Drive productivity, quality, hygiene, and safety improvements using Lean and Continuous Improvement tools.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop team members to maintain a balanced, flexible, and capable workforce.
• Manage core people processes including return to work meetings, disciplinary processes, performance reviews, holiday planning, and TMS records.
• Ensure full compliance with audit standards at all times, including preparation for external customer audits.
• Collaborate with technical, hygiene, and HR teams to maintain a balanced skill matrix across production lines.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, communication, and accountability on shift.
• Lead by example in all aspects of personal conduct, responsibility, and professionalism.

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven experience in a leadership role within an FMCG or food manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of operational processes and continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, CI, TWI).
• Track record of managing teams to deliver against production targets.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage, influence, and inspire a team.
• Understanding of core food safety, hygiene, and health & safety practices.
• Confident in using structured problem‑solving tools to drive sustainable improvements.
• Flexible approach to work with a hands‑on leadership style.
• Passionate about coaching, developing others, and leading by example.

Qualifications & Training (Desirable)

• Level 3 Advanced Food Hygiene
• Chemical Awareness
• Basic HACCP and TACCP
• Lean Practitioner / CI Qualification
• TWI (Training Within Industry) Train the Trainer
• Literacy and numeracy skills appropriate for the role

What s in it for you?

• Excellent salary package and benefits
• Career development within a growing and ambitious manufacturing environment
• Comprehensive training and support tailored to your role
• Opportunity to work with a driven, collaborative leadership team

Contact

Please contact Ryan Taylor at Winsearch UK (url removed). Winsearch acts as an employment agency for permanent staff. We recruit for roles based in Engineering & Manufacturing, Food & Drinks, Pharmaceutical, Supply Chain & Procurement and Professional Services.

Diversity and Inclusion

Our clients and their customers come from diverse backgrounds and so do we. We hire our people from various walks of life, each of whom make our company stronger with their talent, uniqueness, and expertise. This is what makes our company special; if you want to help us grow and take this ethos to our clients, then we cannot wait to collaborate with you!