Process Owner

JobSpace; Hastings; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pay for performance

Parental leave

Leave options

Great Place to Work NZ/Australia

In-house training

Corporate discounts

Job summary

Kraft Heinz NZ is seeking a Process Owner to lead our Tomoana Watties site manufacturing operations. You will drive safety, quality, and production outcomes while building capability across teams in a dynamic, manufacturing-focused environment.

You will influence continuous improvement and capital planning, with hands-on leadership on the plant floor and accountability for budgets and performance in a 24/7 operation.

Qualifications

• Experience in FMCG manufacturing with frontline leadership.
• Proven track record leading manufacturing teams and labour performance.
• Strong focus on safety, food quality compliance, and zero-harm mindset.
• Structured problem-solving and continuous improvement experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead health, safety and regulatory compliance for the area — run daily safety checks and promote safe work practices.
• Oversee day-to-day production results — accountability for output, efficiency, yield, waste and cost.
• Drive continuous improvement — maintain short- and medium-term improvement plans and coach problem-solving.
• Develop and manage the team — lead and coach team leaders and maintenance leaders; conduct performance reviews.
• Manage resources and budgets — own labour and cost centre budgets; allocate people and equipment.
• Improve equipment reliability — coordinate with engineering to reduce downtime and protect asset performance.
• Collaborate across functions — coordinate with quality, engineering, planning, HR and procurement; represent area in governance and audits.
• Make operational decisions and drive outcomes — set daily production priorities and capital work.

Skills

FMCG experience

Production leadership

Safety & quality compliance

Structured problem-solving

NZ employment legislation knowledge

Plant floor presence

Data-driven decision making

Education

Engineering degree

Food Science degree

Industrial Engineering degree

Business degree

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Opportunity to grow your site operations & leadership experience

Collaborative and dynamic work environment

Grow Your Manufacturing Career with Kraft Heinz!

Are you looking to grow your career in Manufacturing & Site Operations? Do you want to join a dynamic team with a proven track record of internal growth and career advancement opportunities? We have an exciting permanent opportunity for a Process Owner to join our Manufacturing team based out of our Tomoana, New Zealand Watties site!

The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $25 billion. Our brands are truly global, with products produced and marketed in over 40 countries. These beloved products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, infant and nutrition products, and numerous other grocery products in a portfolio of more than 200 legacy and emerging brands.

Key position responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Lead health, safety and regulatory compliance for the area — run daily safety checks, promote safe work practices, ensure food safety and environmental requirements are met.
• Oversee day-to-day production results — be accountable for output, efficiency, yield, waste and cost; run daily reviews and set actions to close gaps.
• Drive continuous improvement — maintain short- and medium-term improvement plans, coach problem‑solving and support projects that improve performance and reduce defects.
• Develop and manage the team — lead and coach team leaders and maintenance leaders, set clear expectations, conduct performance reviews and handle employee relations with HR support.
• Manage resources and budgets — own labour and cost centre budgets, allocate people and equipment effectively, ensure accurate timekeeping and support capital planning.
• Improve equipment reliability — prioritise maintenance with engineering to reduce downtime and protect asset performance.
• Collaborate across functions — coordinate with quality, engineering, planning, HR, procurement and others, and represent the area in plant governance and audits.
• Make operational decisions and drive outcomes — set daily production priorities, manage shift performance actions, and recommend priority improvement and capital work.

About you:

• Strong and proven experience in FMCG or complex manufacturing with hands‑on production leadership
• Proven track record leading frontline teams (in a manufacturing environment) and managing labour performance
• Strong focus on safety, risk management and food/quality compliance, committed to a zero‑harm mindset
• Skilled in structured problem‑solving and continuous improvement (e.g. root‑cause analysis)
• Degree in Engineering, Food Science, Industrial Engineering or Business preferred, and sound knowledge of NZ employment legislation (beneficial)
• Comfortable spending most of your time on the plant floor and providing escalation support outside standard hours in a 24/7 operation
• Commercial and data‑driven: takes ownership of issues and delivers practical solutions rather than escalating unresolved problems
• Builds capability in others, enforces standards, and fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
• Eligible to work in NZ with full working rights.

Benefits of working with us

• Pay for Performance – industry leading variable compensation offerings tied to company and individual performance on top of a competitive base salary package
• Parental Leave – paid time off for both primary AND secondary caregivers
• Leave Options – Purchased leave, volunteer leave and LiveWell leave programs to give you even more flexibility to plan your life and spend time on causes that matter
• Great Place to Work certification in Australia and New Zealand
• In House Training Programs
• Corporate Discount Programs

Location(s)

Tomoana

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes.