Senior Production Manager

Questech Recruitment Ltd; Munster; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private health care

Matched pension scheme

Share scheme

Perkbox platform discounts

Employee assistance programme

Ongoing learning and development

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Our client, a well‑established food and beverage manufacturer, seeks a highly experienced Senior Production Manager to drive safety, quality and continuous improvement in a regulated plant near Cork. The role offers strong progression, a collaborative leadership culture and relocation assistance for a top candidate.

The candidate will lead all production operations, develop teams, implement Lean and cost improvements, and ensure audits and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, bioscience or similar industries.
• Hands-on production management experience within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience in a senior manufacturing, production or operations leadership role.
• Strong people leader with a track record of developing teams and driving performance.
• Fermentation experience is desirable; candidates from related biopharma or bioscience sectors will also be considered.
• Demonstrated success in operational excellence, continuous improvement and change management.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety and quality management principles.
• Analytical, pragmatic and results‑oriented, with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead all production operations, ensuring the safe, efficient and compliant delivery of Safety, Quality, Service, Cost and Sustainability targets.
• Drive a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement, accountability, employee engagement and operational excellence.
• Lead, coach and develop production teams, building capability, supporting talent development and strengthening succession pipelines.
• Deliver operational excellence through Lean methodologies, process optimisation, standardisation and cost improvement initiatives.
• Monitor production performance, analyse key metrics and implement actions to improve productivity, efficiency and reliability.
• Lead audits, investigations and corrective actions, ensuring compliance with Health, Safety, Quality and regulatory requirements.
• Support the successful delivery of strategic operational and site transformation projects.
• Foster strong collaboration across functions and with other company sites, sharing best practices and driving continuous improvement across the network.

Skills

People leadership

Production management

Lean manufacturing

Regulated environment

Health & Safety

Continuous improvement

Job description

Our client is a successful and well-established food and beverage manufacturer, they are looking for a highly experienced Production Manager to join them as the Senior Production Manager. They are looking for someone with strong hands‑on production experience, excellent people leadership capability, and the ability to drive performance through a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement. This role has scope for future growth and progression to higher roles.

Salary and benefits

• Circa €100,000 (circa £85,000) + Bonus
• 25 days annual leave
• Private health care
• Matched pension scheme
• Share scheme
• Perkbox platform offering discounts and offers from major retailers
• Employee assistance programme
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities

Hours of work

• Monday to Friday with flexible working hours. Flexibility is required for meetings / important situations.

Location

• Near Cork, County Cork (assistance with relocation may be offered for a strong candidate)

Requirements

• Experience in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, bioscience or similar industries.
• Hands‑on production management experience within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience in a senior manufacturing, production or operations leadership role.
• Strong people leader with a track record of developing teams and driving performance.
• Fermentation experience is desirable; candidates from related biopharma or bioscience sectors will also be considered.
• Demonstrated success in operational excellence, continuous improvement and change management.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety and quality management principles.
• Analytical, pragmatic and results‑oriented, with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead all production operations, ensuring the safe, efficient and compliant delivery of Safety, Quality, Service, Cost and Sustainability targets.
• Drive a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement, accountability, employee engagement and operational excellence.
• Lead, coach and develop production teams, building capability, supporting talent development and strengthening succession pipelines.
• Deliver operational excellence through Lean methodologies, process optimisation, standardisation and cost improvement initiatives.
• Monitor production performance, analyse key metrics and implement actions to improve productivity, efficiency and reliability.
• Lead audits, investigations and corrective actions, ensuring compliance with Health, Safety, Quality and regulatory requirements.
• Support the successful delivery of strategic operational and site transformation projects.
• Foster strong collaboration across functions and with other company sites, sharing best practices and driving continuous improvement across the network.

This role would suit someone who has worked within the food, beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, or bioscience industry, with a previous senior job title such as; Production Manager / Production Supervisor / Manufacturing Manager / Manufacturing Supervisor / Operations Manager / Operations Supervisor / Fermentation Manager / similar role