Packing Supervisor (Quality Background Required)

Addiction Foods NZ Ltd.; Te Puke; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Addiction Pet Foods is looking for a Production Supervisor – Packing with a strong Quality Assurance background to lead packing operations on the Te Puke production floor. This role focuses on maintaining food safety, product quality, traceability, hygiene, GMP compliance and process control.

You will supervise Packing Operators and Production Technicians, manage shift execution, monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement with close collaboration across Manufacturing, Quality

Qualifications

• A quality background is essential for this role.
• Three or more years in Quality Assurance/Quality Control within manufacturing.
• Previous supervisory or team‑leadership experience in production.
• Qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Quality Management or Manufacturing is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily packing operations to achieve plans and customer requirements.
• Monitor production performance, downtime, waste, and labour usage.
• Ensure packing activities meet specifications and SOPs.
• Respond to issues and coordinate corrective actions.
• Lead root cause analysis, CAPA, and continuous improvement activities.
• Maintain GMP, HACCP, hygiene and traceability compliance.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Quality Control

Team leadership

Food safety

Education

Food Science degree

Quality Management degree

Job description

Production Supervisor – Packing

Quality Background Required

Location: Te Puke, Bay of Plenty
Department: Manufacturing – Packing
Work Set-up: Onsite
Employment Type: Full-time, Shift-Based

Bring Your Quality Expertise Into Production Leadership.

Addiction Pet Foods is looking for a Production Supervisor – Packing with a strong Quality Assurance or Quality Control background to lead our packing operations at our manufacturing facility in Te Puke.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Quality professional who has supervised people in a production or manufacturing environment and is ready to take broader ownership of day-to-day production performance.

Your Quality background will be central to the role.

You will ensure that the Packing Team achieves production targets while maintaining strict standards for food safety, product quality, traceability, hygiene, GMP compliance, and process control.

Working directly on the production floor, you will lead Packing Operators and Production Technicians, manage shift execution, respond to process and quality deviations, and work closely with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Product & Process Development.

Your Key Responsibilities:

Production and Packing Operations:

• Lead daily packing operations to achieve production plans, output targets, and customer requirements.
• Manage line start-up, product changeovers, production handovers, breaks, staffing, and end‑of‑shift activities.
• Monitor production performance including output, downtime, waste, rework, rejects, and labour utilisation.
• Ensure packing activities are completed according to approved specifications, SOPs, work instructions, and production schedules.
• Respond quickly to production issues and coordinate appropriate corrective actions.
• Escalate equipment‑related issues to Maintenance and Engineering when technical support is required.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, workflow, line efficiency, and waste reduction.

Quality Assurance and Process Control:

• Ensure all packed products meet approved product and packaging specifications.
• Monitor critical packing quality requirements including:
  • Pack weight.
  • Seal integrity.
  • Correct packaging material.
  • Label accuracy.
  • Batch and date coding.
  • Product presentation.
  • Traceability.
• Ensure required in‑process quality checks are completed accurately and at the required frequency.
• Identify non‑conforming products and ensure appropriate segregation, hold, investigation, and escalation procedures are followed.
• Participate in investigations involving product defects, process deviations, customer complaints, and recurring quality issues.
• Lead or support Root Cause Analysis, Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA), and continuous improvement activities.
• Ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained on the production floor.
• Work closely with the Quality Team to strengthen quality ownership among operators.

Food Safety, GMP and Compliance:

• Maintain strong compliance with GMP, HACCP, hygiene, sanitation, allergen, foreign‑material, and food‑safety requirements.
• Ensure employees consistently follow approved procedures and food‑safety controls.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and hygiene throughout the packing area.
• Ensure production records, quality checks, traceability records, and other required documentation are accurate and complete.
• Keep the packing operation inspection‑ and audit‑ready.
• Support internal, customer, regulatory, and certification audits where required.
• Participate in investigations of food‑safety or quality deviations and ensure agreed corrective actions are completed.

Team Leadership and Development:

• Lead, coach, and support Packing Operators and Production Technicians.
• Set clear expectations for safety, quality, productivity, attendance, and workplace behaviour.
• Conduct effective shift handovers and daily team communication.
• Allocate employees according to production requirements and individual capability.
• Coach employees when standards or procedures are not followed.
• Train and develop operators in:
  • GMP and food safety
  • Quality checks
  • SOP compliance
  • Product specifications
  • Traceability
  • Defect identification
  • Corrective actions
• Support performance management and identify individual training and development needs.
• Build a culture where employees take ownership of quality at the source, rather than relying only on the Quality Team to identify problems.

Continuous Improvement:

• Use production and quality data to identify recurring losses, defects, waste, and process variation.
• Participate in improvement initiatives involving Quality, Manufacturing, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Product & Process Development.
• Help simplify and strengthen production controls, visual standards, checklists, and operating procedures.
• Support initiatives that improve Right First Time performance and reduce rework, waste, customer complaints, and quality failures.
• Ensure improvements are embedded into daily work practices and sustained by the team.

Safety:

• Lead by example in workplace health and safety.
• Ensure employees use required PPE and follow safe operating procedures.
• Identify unsafe behaviours, equipment conditions, and workplace hazards and take appropriate action.
• Participate in incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Support machinery safety, lockout requirements, and safe production practices.

About You:

• You are likely already working in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Food Safety, or Quality Operations within a manufacturing environment and are looking for an opportunity to broaden your leadership responsibilities into Production.
• You understand that achieving production targets must never come at the expense of product quality or food safety.
• You are confident working directly on the manufacturing floor, coaching operators, challenging poor practices, investigating deviations, and making practical decisions in a fast-moving production environment.

What We Are Looking For:

A Quality background is essential for this role.

You will ideally bring:

• Three or more years of experience in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Food Safety, or a similar Quality function within manufacturing.
• Previous supervisory, team‑leader, or people‑management experience in a production or manufacturing environment.
• Experience in food manufacturing, FMCG, pet food, dairy, meat, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of:
  • GMP
  • HACCP
  • Food safety
  • In‑process quality control
  • Product specifications
  • Traceability
  • Non‑conformance management
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • CAPA
• Experience investigating quality or production deviations.
• Ability to coach production employees and improve compliance with procedures and standards.
• Strong attention to detail combined with the ability to make practical production decisions.
• Good communication, problem‑solving, planning, and people‑leadership skills.
• Confidence working in a fast‑paced, shift‑based production environment.

A qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Quality Management, Manufacturing, Engineering, or a related discipline would be advantageous.

Preferred Training and Certifications:

• HACCP certification.
• Internal Auditor training.
• GMP or food‑safety training.
• Root Cause Analysis / CAPA training.
• Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement training.
• Health and Safety training.
• Food Science, Food Technology, Quality, or Manufacturing qualification.

Work Schedule:

• This position supports a multi‑shift manufacturing operation.
• Applicants must be willing and able to work across the following schedules when required:
  • 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • 3:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
  • 11:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
  • 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Why Join Us?

• This role provides a strong career pathway for a Quality professional who wants to move into broader Manufacturing leadership without losing the quality discipline that has built their career.
• You will have the opportunity to influence not only whether a product passes inspection, but how the production team works every day to prevent quality problems from occurring in the first place.
• You will work closely with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Product & Process Development to improve packing performance, strengthen process controls, develop employees, and build a stronger quality culture.

If you are a Quality professional with production‑floor leadership experience who is ready to take ownership of people, performance, quality, and packing operations, we would like to hear from you.