Production Shift Manager

Warburtons; Newthorpe; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit share

Extra annual leave

Pension 7%

Life assurance

Discounts

Job summary

Warburtons Eastwood Bakery is seeking an experienced Area Lead to oversee a fast-paced manufacturing shift. You will lead your team, manage equipment and processes, and ensure safe, high-quality performance on site.

Join a 24/7 operation with a focus on continuous improvement and strong people development. The role requires leadership across 3-week shift patterns and a commitment to staying compliant with safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong people leadership and coaching skills.
• Knowledge of Lean Principles and Continuous Improvement.
• Experience monitoring equipment performance and driving quick resolution.
• Understanding of production planning and site operations.
• SAP knowledge (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your team to deliver against safety, quality, plant, and service target.
• Drive a high-performance culture, ensuring accountability across your area.
• Champion continuous improvement using Lean and CI methodologies.
• Deliver operational excellence, achieving or exceeding KPIs.
• Ensure compliance with safety, food safety, and equipment standards.
• Identify and resolve issues quickly, minimising downtime and loss.

Skills

People leadership

Lean principles

Continuous improvement

Production monitoring

Site operations

Education

Manufacturing leadership experience

Tools

SAP

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your team to deliver against safety, quality, plant, and service target
• Drive a high-performance culture, ensuring accountability and ownership across your area
• Champion continuous improvement, using Lean and CI methodologies
• Deliver operational excellence, consistently achieving or exceeding KPIs
• Ensure compliance with all safety, food safety, and equipment standards
• Identify and resolve issues quickly, minimising downtime and loss

What We're Looking For

• Experience in a manufacturing or production environment
• Strong people leadership and coaching skills
• Knowledge of Lean Principles and Continuous Improvement
• Experience in monitoring equipment performance and driving quick resolution
• Understanding of production planning and site operations
• SAP knowledge (desirable)

About Eastwood Bakery

Our Eastwood site operates 24/7, 363 days a year, producing fresh bakery products for customers across the Country.

• Over 300 colleagues on site
• Producing ~30,000 rolls and 24,000 crumpets per hour
• A fast-paced, highly automated manufacturing environment

Why Join Warburtons?

• Profit share bonus
• Option to buy additional annual leave
• 7% pension contribution
• Life assurance
• Discounts via “Extra Dough” platform
• Ongoing personal development
• Free products on site (daily essentials covered!)
• Health & wellbeing support, including physio and 24/7 helpline

Our Culture

We’re proud to be a family business since 1876 and are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

We’re also working towards becoming a net zero business by 2050, reducing our environmental impact while supporting our communities.

Job Title: Area Lead

Function: Food Manufacturing

Location: Eastwood NG16 3SA

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Shift Pattern: 12-hour Days & Nights, rotating over 3 weeks.

Shift Pattern Overview

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

• Week 1: Days Days Off Nights Nights Nights Off
• Week 2: Off Off Days Days Days Off Off
• Week 3: Nights Nights Nights Off Off Days Days

About the Area Lead Role

Are you an experienced people manager from a fast-paced manufacturing environment, ready to take the next step in your leadership career?

We’re looking for a proactive Area Lead to join our Eastwood Bakery, where you’ll lead your team, equipment and processes to deliver safe, high-quality performance on shift.

At Warburtons, we’re looking for Line Managers who inspire their teams, develop capability, and continuously improve the way we work.

We respect and value difference. We look to create an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Companies that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, or any other aspect which makes them unique, are proven to be better companies. More importantly, creating an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work, is the right thing to do.