Shift Production Manager

Novus Recruitment Ltd; Liverpool City Region; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturing company located in Merseyside is seeking a proactive and hands-on Shift Production Manager. In this fast-paced environment, you will lead a production team, ensuring safety and quality, while also driving improvements and communicating performance standards. You will be supported by an experienced leadership team, providing ample learning opportunities and room for career growth.

Benefits

Established training and development

Supportive senior leadership team

Qualifications

• Experience in FMCG or food production.
• Strong understanding of GMP and HSE regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage production teams focusing on safety and quality.
• Communicate KPI expectations and track performance.
• Drive continuous improvement across departments.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Continuous Improvement

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Job description

Shift Production Manager

Merseyside

Food Manufacturing

£44K and very competitive package

Established training and development available

Shifts – Three week rotating am, pm and nights

A Shift Manager role for candidates with a background in FMCG or food production.

This is a key role in a fast-paced, quality-focused corporation with a strong track record and a loyal customer base. The company is growing and adding to its production team — they’re looking for an ambitious shift manager or supervisor who is ready to take the next step in their production career.

You’ll be joining a supportive senior leadership team with a wealth of experience. There’s plenty of knowledge to learn from, and lots of room for growth.

This is a busy factory environment, so you’ll need to be hands-on, adaptable, and ready to reprioritise when needed. You’ll be leading your shift with energy, driving improvements, and making the changes needed to deliver a top-performing team.

What will your day involve?

• Managing a production team with a clear focus on safety and quality
• Working closely with factory teams, communicating KPI expectations and tracking performance across the shift
• Ensuring efficient use of labour in line with the production plan
• Developing your team’s skills and knowledge, using a training matrix and tailored personal development plans
• Taking ownership of team performance and effectiveness
• Leading and coaching the team through daily interaction and structured performance reviews (PDPs and PDRs)
• Driving continuous improvement and embedding that mindset across departments
• Collaborating with other shift managers to deliver cost savings against the overall budget
• Staying close to the factory floor — identifying and removing blockers, reacting quickly when needed
• Communicating clearly and consistently

We’re looking for people who can:

• Lead by example and set high standards through involvement
• Communicate KPIs clearly, educating and coaching the team to understand the “what” and the “why”
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of GMP and HSE regulations — and ensure your team lives by them every day
• Always look to improve efficiency — using clear communication, accountability, and coaching to get there
• Show a genuine interest in people management and leadership in demanding environments
• Thrive in fast-paced manufacturing (FMCG or food) and remain calm and focused under pressure
• Have a good understanding of OEE
• Bring a positive, proactive attitude
• Solve problems quickly and effectively — preventing surprises wherever possible
• Take pride in their shift and aim to lead the top-performing team
• Deliver thorough handovers and embed strong processes that keep shifts aligned — especially during the all-important ‘golden hour’

This role needs someone with real energy. The team is hardworking and eager but needs leading and structure take things to the next level and meet growing demand.

If you’re ambitious and ready to take that next step, get in touch with Rhian at Novus.