Line Manager- Manufacturing

Vitaco Group; Whangarei; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discounts across health and well

Health insurance

Onsite café

Onsite parking

Birthday leave

Career development

Wellbeing support

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Vitaco, a leading health and wellness company, invites an experienced manufacturing leader to take ownership of a key production area. You will lead a large team across safety, quality, people, service, cost and continuous improvement, with three shifts operating 24 hours a day, five days a week.

You will mentor Team Leaders, set standards, and drive reliable production performance while developing capability across the operation.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large FMCG manufacturing teams.
• Strong Lean/continuous improvement background.
• Solid GMP, safety and quality knowledge.
• Ability to translate data into improved performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop Team Leaders and manufacturing teams.
• Deliver production plans through effective coordination of people, materials and equipment.
• Champion health, safety and GMP culture.
• Maintain high standards of product quality and regulatory compliance.
• Own output, efficiency, service and costs.
• Use OEE data to identify gaps and drive action.
• Lead Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure clear shift handovers and cross-functional collaboration.
• Partner with Quality, Engineering and Planning to resolve issues.

Skills

People management

Lean manufacturing

Operational leadership

GMP knowledge

Education

Trade or industry qualification

Tertiary study in Food Science/Engineering/Management (advantage)

Job description

This is an exciting time to join Vitaco as we continue to grow and invest in our manufacturing capability. We’re looking for an experienced manufacturing leader to take ownership of a key production area, lead a large team and deliver strong results across safety, quality, people and operational performance.

This is a senior operational leadership role with a significant number of direct reports. You’ll bring the confidence, judgement and people leadership skills to manage a broad span of responsibility while developing the capability of your Team Leaders and manufacturing teams.

About Vitaco

At Vitaco, our vision is Empowering Healthier Lives.

We are one of Australasia’s leading health and wellness companies, employing more than 700 people across New Zealand and Australia. Our trusted brands include Healtheries, Nutra-Life, Musashi and Athena, with products reaching consumers across Australasia and more than 30 countries worldwide.

We’re incredibly proud to be the Best Places to Work™ 2026 winner in the Extra Large Workplace category, alongside our recognition as an HRD 5-Star Employer of Choice for two consecutive years (2025 & 2026). These awards reflect our commitment to creating a supportive workplace where our people can thrive.

About The Role

Reporting to the Production Manager, you’ll be accountable for the performance of your manufacturing area across safety, quality, people, service, cost and continuous improvement.

Our manufacturing operation runs across three shifts, 24 hours a day, five days a week. You’ll establish clear priorities, consistent standards and effective communication across shifts to support reliable production performance.

Leading a large team requires a strong focus on developing others. You’ll set expectations, coach your direct reports and ensure your teams have the capability, resources and support to deliver.

You’ll be a visible presence in the operation, balancing daily production requirements with longer-term improvements in team capability, efficiency and performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop Team Leaders and manufacturing teams, building capability and addressing performance issues promptly and constructively.
• Deliver production plans through effective coordination of people, materials and equipment.
• Champion a strong health, safety and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) culture.
• Maintain high standards of product quality and regulatory compliance.
• Take ownership of output, efficiency, service, labour, waste and operational costs.
• Use operational data, including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), to identify performance gaps, prioritise action and measure results.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives that deliver sustainable gains.
• Establish clear expectations, effective shift handovers and consistent communication across your manufacturing area.
• Partner with Quality, Engineering, Planning and other operational teams to resolve issues and maintain production performance.
• Build an engaged, accountable team where people understand their contribution and take pride in their work.

About You

You’re an experienced manufacturing leader with a proven ability to lead large teams and deliver operational results. You understand that sustained performance depends on developing people, maintaining consistent standards and following through on commitments.

To Be Successful In This Role, You’ll Bring

• Significant people and line management experience within an FMCG and/or GMP manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing a large team and a substantial number of direct reports.
• Proven success coaching leaders, building team capability and managing performance.
• Practical experience applying Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement or operational excellence methods.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing health, safety, quality and GMP requirements.
• Confidence interpreting production data and turning performance insights into action.
• Sound commercial awareness across labour, materials, waste and operational costs.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, including managing competing production priorities.
• Clear communication and the ability to build effective relationships across functions.
• Relevant trade or industry qualifications. Tertiary study in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering or Management would be advantageous.

Most importantly, you’ll be a visible, engaging and consistent leader who builds trust, sets clear expectations and helps people succeed.

Why Join Vitaco?

At Vitaco, We Care. We Act. We Succeed.

You’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to our manufacturing operations while building your career in a growing health and nutrition business.

You Can Look Forward To

• Competitive remuneration with annual review.
• Staff discounts across our health and wellness products.
• Discounted health insurance and wellness benefits.
• A subsidised onsite café and free onsite parking.
• Paid birthday leave.
• Learning, development and internal career opportunities.
• Access to in-house wellbeing and naturopathic support.
• A supportive team environment that values collaboration and continuous improvement.

Applications will be reviewed before the closing date.

Agencies:

This recruitment assignment is managed directly by Vitaco’s recruitment team. We will contact preferred agency partners if additional support is required.