Whey Production Manager - 24/7 Ops Lead

Tirlán; Kilkenny; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Tirlán is seeking a production leader for the Whey Plant in Ballyragget, reporting to the Whey Plant Manager. You will drive safety, quality and continuous improvement on a 24/7 roster, coordinating with cross-functional teams to meet KPI targets.

The role requires 2–3 years of management experience in food manufacturing, with strong communication skills and a passion for Lean.Aerospace or other sectors experience is not required.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of management in dairy/food/beverage manufacturing.
• Ability to lead teams to meet tight deadlines.
• Lean and continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong technical ability and attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; SAP knowledge.
• Knowledge of dairy processes is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Promote & implement best practice Health & Safety procedures in line with Zero Harm.
• Adhere to product safety and legality standards per Quality Management System.
• Produce high quality product to meet customer specs.
• Lead a team of Shift Managers in a 24/7 roster.
• Collaborate with Commercial team on Customer requirements and plant KPIs.
• Resolve deviations in Whey plant metrics with CAPA.
• Coordinate with Planning, Process, Engineering and Despatch to achieve production plans.
• Ensure production targets (throughput, yields, recoveries) are met.
• Foster coaching culture for cross-shift consistency to meet customer needs.
• Identify process improvements using lean principles and drive innovations.
• Promote a culture of employee engagement on site.
• Communicate and implement change within the plant.
• Champion HR policies and staff issues.

Skills

People management

Lean manufacturing

Cross-functional collaboration

Attention to detail

Strong communications

Tools

SAP

IQS/MES

Job description

Tirlán is seeking a production leader for the Whey Plant in Ballyragget, reporting to the Whey Plant Manager. You will drive safety, quality and continuous improvement on a 24/7 roster, coordinating with cross-functional teams to meet KPI targets.

The role requires 2–3 years of management experience in food manufacturing, with strong communication skills and a passion for Lean.Aerospace or other sectors experience is not required.