Shift Leader

Westfalia Fruit; Greater Lincolnshire; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multinational fresh fruit supplier in Greater Lincolnshire is seeking experienced Shift Leaders to oversee manufacturing and ripening performance. Responsibilities include team motivation, operational decision making, and ensuring safety and quality standards. The ideal candidate has proven FMCG experience and can work a 4 on, 4 off shift pattern. Benefits include 20 days of holiday and a company pension plan.

Benefits

20 days holiday

Free on-site parking

Additional Annual Leave on Birthday

Company pension plan

Medicash plan

Life Insurance

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Shift Leader and ability to guide others under pressure.
• Experience within FMCG is essential.
• Ability to work a 4 on, 4 off shift pattern.

Responsibilities

• Inspire and guide the shift team to meet daily goals.
• Support the growth of teams through coaching.
• Ensure a safe and compliant work environment.
• Monitor operational performance and manage costs.

Skills

Team motivation

Operational decision making

Proactive problem solving

Communication skills

Job description

Overview

Westfalia Fruit is a leading multinational supplier of fresh fruit and related value-added products to global markets. Through our vertically-integrated supply chain we grow, source, ripen, pack, process and market quality avocados & fresh produce – 365 days a year & across the globe. With the largest avocado-growing footprint in the world, we are recognised as the leading #avoexperts and considered as the supplier of choice to both retail & wholesale customers whom we serve from sales offices in the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America & Southern Africa. We’re looking for two new Shift Leaders to join our expanding team in Spalding, UK. To take full accountability for the end-to-end manufacturing and ripening performance during a shift. The Shift Lead ensures that people, safety, quality, cost, and delivery objectives are achieved in real time, while leading a customer-focused and responsive shift team.

Responsibilities

• Lead with Purpose: Inspire and guide your shift team to meet daily goals while fostering a culture of accountability, recognition, and engagement.
• People Developer: Support the growth of frontline teams and Area Leads through coaching and development planning.
• Champion Safety: Ensure a safe work environment through active risk management, safety observations, and incident investigations.
• Uphold Quality Standards: Maintain strict product quality and hygiene standards, and resolve any issues swiftly.
• Drive Operational Excellence: Monitor OEE, plan adherence, and resource use in real time to maximise productivity and minimise waste.
• Cost-Conscious Leadership: Take ownership of shift metrics - labour, yield, waste - while identifying risks and driving cost-saving initiatives.
• Customer-First Mentality: Reinforce the link between team performance and customer satisfaction, ensuring accuracy, urgency, and consistency.
• Effective Communicator: Act as the go-to leader on shift - communicating clearly, managing changeovers smoothly, and responding to disruptions quickly.
• Compliance-Focused: Ensure GMP, food safety and hygiene procedures are rigorously followed at all times.
• Pride in Performance: Create a culture where delivering high-quality products and excellent service is a shared team priority.

Requirements

Experience we look for:

Essential

• Proven experience as a confident Shift Leader, being able to guide, support, and challenge others under pressure.
• Able to make operational decisions based on service impact, with the customer in mind.
• A strong team motivator, being able to energize the team and build a sense of shared purpose.
• Able to balance coaching with assertiveness when needed.
• Confident using routines, KPIs, and visual management to guide the shift.
• Proactive Problem Solver, acting early to prevent issues and recover performance.
• Visible and approachable to the team and leads from the floor.
• Performance Driven, tracking shift performance and taking ownership for outcomes.
• Collaborative Communicator, who can build strong shift-to-shift and cross-functional handovers.
• Experience within FMCG is a must.
• Ability to work 4 on 4 off shift pattern.

Benefits

What can Westfalia Fruit offer you?

• 20 days holiday.
• Free on-site parking.
• Additional Annual Leave day on your Birthday.
• Company pension plan.
• Medicash plan.
• Life Insurance.

Please note that this position does not have a specific closing date. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and the advert may be removed at any time.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, or veteran, neurodiversity or disability status.