Shift Manager

The Advocate Group; Haydock; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Rotating shift pattern

Job summary

The Advocate Group is seeking a hands-on Shift Manager for a busy food manufacturing operation. You will lead production teams, drive safety and quality, and ensure targets are met in a fast-paced environment.

You will champion continuous improvement, manage daily activity and labour, and partner with cross-functional teams to deliver better performance and customer service. This role offers autonomy, people development opportunities, and a competitive salary with a rotating shift pattern.

Qualifications

• Previous leadership experience in manufacturing, production, FMCG or similar environment.
• Strong people management skills with experience building high-performing teams.
• Knowledge of health & safety, quality standards, and CI methodologies.
• Experience driving performance through KPIs, OEE, waste reduction and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Confident decision-maker with ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Organised, resilient and able to thrive in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate production teams to deliver safety, quality and performance targets.
• Drive a strong safety-first culture and ensure compliance with manufacturing standards.
• Manage day-to-day production activity, labour utilisation and operational performance.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, reduce waste and improve output.
• Coach, mentor and develop team members to build capability and engagement.
• Lead investigations, root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent repeat issues.
• Monitor key operational metrics and implement improvement plans.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet business objectives and customer expectations.

Skills

Leadership experience

People management

Health & Safety

KPIs & OEE

Decision-making

Organisation

Continuous improvement

Job description

Shift Manager | Food Manufacturing

Ready to lead from the front in a fast-paced production environment? We're looking for a hands-on Shift Manager to drive performance, develop high-performing teams, and ensure the safe, efficient delivery of production targets within a busy manufacturing operation.

This is a leadership role with real influence across safety, quality, people, service, and continuous improvement.

What you'll be doing

• Leading and motivating production teams to deliver safety, quality, and performance targets
• Driving a strong safety-first culture and ensuring compliance with manufacturing standards
• Managing day-to-day production activity, labour utilisation, and operational performance
• Championing continuous improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve output
• Coaching, mentoring, and developing team members to build capability and engagement
• Leading investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions to prevent repeat issues
• Monitoring key operational metrics and implementing improvement plans
• Working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver business objectives and customer expectations

What we're looking for

• Previous leadership experience within a manufacturing, production, FMCG, food, or similar operational environment
• Strong people management skills with experience building high-performing teams
• Knowledge of health & safety, quality standards, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience driving performance through KPIs, OEE, waste reduction, and operational excellence initiatives
• Confident decision-maker with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels
• Organised, resilient, and comfortable working in a fast-moving environment
• Continuous improvement mindset with a passion for driving positive change

The opportunity

• Join a growing and successful manufacturing business
• Take ownership of a key production area with genuine autonomy
• Play a pivotal role in operational improvement and team development
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Rotating shift pattern with shared operational leadership responsibility

If you're a proactive manufacturing leader who enjoys developing people, improving processes, and delivering results, we'd love to hear from you.