Production Lead

TRS Staffing Solutions; Wellington; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Whittaker’s in New Zealand seeks an experienced Production Lead to run day-to-day operations in the Making team, overseeing a team of around 30 direct reports. You’ll be on the floor leading shifts, keeping roasting, refining, and production processes moving, and making sure product goes out safely, efficiently and to spec.

This isn’t a background role. You own your shift’s performance and outcomes, and you’re the one people come to when something needs sorting – whether that’s a process issue,

Qualifications

• Experience supervising a manufacturing team and managing performance.
• Background in GMP manufacturing environments.
• Strong problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate shift activities across the Making Department.
• Allocate resources to hit production requirements.
• Monitor and troubleshoot roasting, refining, and production processes.
• Report on KPIs and shift performance.
• Manage your team’s performance, behaviour and attendance including coaching, training and disciplinary processes when required.
• Keep the team compliant with GMP, hygiene and food safety standards.
• Build a skilled flexible team through training and cross skilling.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

People management

GMP knowledge

Process improvement

Cross-functional communication

Production leadership

Job description

The Company:

Whittaker’s is New Zealand’s biggest chocolate manufacturer and has won New Zealand’s ‘Most Trusted Brand’ 14 times in a row. They live by the belief that ‘best is always better’, insisting on using only the finest ingredients, the best methods, most precise machinery, and the best people to keep making good honest chocolate.

The Opportunity:

We’re looking for an experienced Production Lead to run day-to-day operations in the Making team, overseeing a team of around 30 direct reports. You’ll be on the floor leading shifts, keeping roasting, refining, and production processes moving, and making sure product goes out safely, efficiently and to spec.

This isn’t a background role. You own your shift’s performance and outcomes, and you’re the one people come to when something needs sorting – whether that’s a process issue, a resourcing gap, or quality issue.

Day to day, you will:

• Lead and coordinate shift activities across the Making Department
• Allocate resources to hit production requirements
• Monitor and troubleshoot roasting, refining, and production processes
• Report on KPIs and shift performance
• Manage your team’s performance, behaviour and attendance including coaching, training and disciplinary processes when required
• Keep the team compliant with GMP, hygiene and food safety standards
• Build a skilled flexible team through training and cross skilling
• Support continuous improvement initiatives

The role will work Monday to Friday, 40-45 hours per week with shifts starting at 6.00am. Flexibility with hours is required to support operational requirements.

You, the Candidate:

The ideal candidate for this role will be an experienced production leader with a background in complex GMP manufacturing environments. You will be a genuine people person with the ability to build trust easily and get the best out of a diverse workforce.

The successful candidate will also have the following skills and attributes:

• Experience supervising a manufacturing team, comfortable managing performance and holding people accountable
• A track record of delivering production outcomes in a fast-paced GMP environment
• Strong problem-solving capabilities and a continuous improvement mindset
• The ability to effectively communicate at a cross functional level
• Strong understanding of GMP, H&S and production processes

Please note:

To be eligible for this role, you must hold current working rights in NZ. You must also be willing to undertake and return a satisfactory Ministry of Justice Criminal History check and undergo a pre-employment medical including a Drug & Alcohol Screening.