Production Shift Manager, Production Shift Manager

Pilgrim's Europe; Craigavon; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Enhanced pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee discount platform

Health & wellbeing support

Training and career progression

Long-term opportunities in a growing,

Job summary

Pilgrim's Europe is seeking a Production Shift Manager (Days) to lead the Coated Department at the Craigavon site. You will drive shift performance, develop high-performing teams and deliver excellence in safety, quality, service, people, and cost.

You will lead production teams, deliver KPI targets, and collaborate with engineering, planning and supply chain to achieve business goals. A strong focus on continuous improvement and food safety is essential.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing teams in a high-volume production setting.
• Strong understanding of food safety, quality, and health & safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate production teams to meet daily targets.
• Deliver KPI performance across safety, quality, labour, yield, efficiency, and service.
• Drive a culture of food safety, health & safety and continuous improvement.
• Ensure products meet customer specs and internal standards.
• Coach and develop Team Leaders and colleagues to maximise capability.
• Monitor production performance and implement corrective actions.
• Conduct structured shift handovers and performance reviews.
• Support succession planning and skills development across the department.
• Collaborate with Technical, Engineering, Planning, and Supply Chain teams to meet objectives.
• Support waste reduction, sustainability and cost-saving initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication

Problem solving

IT skills

KPI reporting

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Production Shift Manager (Days) - Coated Department

Location: Craigavon, Northern Ireland

Working Hours: Monday to Friday ¦ 8:00am to 4:00pm

Contract Type: Permanent ¦ Full-Time

Lead Production Excellence in Our Coated Operations!

Are you an experienced food manufacturing leader looking for your next challenge?

Pilgrim's Europe is seeking a Production Shift Manager to lead our Coated Department at our Craigavon poultry manufacturing site. This is a fantastic opportunity for a results-driven people leader to take ownership of shift performance, drive continuous improvement, and develop high‑performing teams within a fast‑paced food production environment.

Working closely with the Operations team, you'll play a key role in delivering operational excellence across safety, quality, service, people, and cost.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading and motivating production teams within the Coated Department to achieve daily operational targets.
• Delivering KPI performance across safety, quality, labour utilisation, yield, efficiency, and customer service.
• Driving a culture of food safety, health & safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Ensuring all products consistently meet customer specifications and internal quality standards.
• Managing, coaching, and developing Team Leaders and production colleagues to maximise capability and engagement.
• Monitoring production performance, identifying opportunities for improvement, and implementing corrective actions.
• Conducting structured shift handovers and performance reviews.
• Supporting succession planning, training programmes, and skills development across the department.
• Working collaboratively with Technical, Engineering, Planning, and Supply Chain teams to achieve business objectives.
• Supporting waste reduction, sustainability, and cost‑saving initiatives across the operation.

Essential

What We're Looking For

• Proven leadership experience within a food manufacturing environment
• Previous experience managing teams in a high-volume production setting
• Strong understanding of food safety, quality, and health & safety standards
• Excellent people management, coaching, and performance development skills
• Experience delivering operational and continuous improvement initiatives
• Strong communication, organisational, and problem‑solving abilities
• Good IT skills and experience working with production KPIs and reporting

Desirable

• Experience within poultry, meat, or FMCG manufacturing
• HACCP and/or Health & Safety qualifications
• Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience
• Leadership or management qualification
• Experience working within coated, prepared, or added‑value food production environments

Why Join Pilgrim's Europe?

At Pilgrim's Europe, you'll be part of one of the UK's leading food manufacturing businesses, producing high‑quality products for major retailers and customers.

Benefits Include

• Competitive salary
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee discount platform
• Health & wellbeing support
• Training, development, and career progression opportunities
• Long‑term career opportunities within a growing international business
• Opportunity to make a real impact within a key manufacturing operation