Production Manager

Goodman Fielder; Howick; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Quality Bakers Auckland, part of Goodman Fielder, is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead site operations on the night shift. You will report to the Manufacturing Manager and focus on safe, reliable, and efficient production to meet daily customer requirements.

You will develop a high performing team, champion a strong safety culture, drive continuous improvement, and ensure GMP, food safety, and quality standards are met.

Qualifications

• Manufacturing leadership with proven DIFOT, HSE, cost management, and staff engagement.
• Background in food or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Understanding GMP, Food Safety & Quality, and Lean principles.
• Degree in Science or Engineering; Level 4 Plant Baking preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written English.

Responsibilities

• Champion safety culture and drive zero harm.
• Lead QA and food safety compliance, drive improvements.
• Achieve targeted efficiency: productivity, uptime, waste, OEE.
• Develop leaders and teams; drive engagement.
• Embed continuous improvement to support productivity and cost management.

Skills

Leadership

DIFOT

HSE

Cost management

Waste reduction

FSQ compliance

Staff engagement

Lean manufacturing

Education

Bachelor degree in Science or Engineering

Plant Baking Level 4 (beneficial)

Job description

Quality Bakers Auckland is New Zealand's largest plant bakery manufacturing some of New Zealand's most loved brands such as Vogel's, Freya's, Molenberg, and Nature's Fresh. It has 5 plants, operating 24/7 to produce 74 different products daily, and plays a critical role in delivering fresh, trusted bakery products to Kiwi households every day. Due to internal promotion, we're now seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead our site production operations across night shift.

The Opportunity

As the Production Manager you will report to the Manufacturing Manager and will be responsible for developing and maintaining a high performing Production Team and culture at Quality Bakers Auckland.

Your focus will be on safe, reliable and efficient production, delivering daily customer requirements while building a high‑performance culture grounded in accountability, continuous improvement and care for our people.

Key Responsibilities

• Health, Safety & Environment - Champion a ‘Never Walk By' safety culture; ensure compliance; drive zero harm.
• Quality & Food Safety - Lead quality assurance; ensure GMP and food safety compliance; drive quality improvement.
• Operational Excellence -Ensure targeted efficiency levels are achieved including productivity, line utilization / downtime, waste % / reduction target, OEE, quality, safety and DIFOT
• People Leadership - Develop leaders and teams. Drive engagement, succession planning and wellbeing.
• Continuous Improvement - Embed CI mindset and initiatives supporting productivity, innovation and cost management.

What You'll Bring

• Manufacturing leadership experience with demonstrated outcomes in achieving results (DIFOT, HSE, cost management, waste reduction, FSQ compliance, staff engagement).
• Broad background in the food or pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
• Understanding GMP, Food Safety & Quality, and Lean Manufacturing principles is essential
• Degree in Science or Engineering-related discipline. Level 4 qualification in Plant Baking would be highly beneficial.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.

Why Join Goodman Fielder?

Goodman Fielder is a purpose‑led organization demonstrating a values‑driven culture. We offer an opportunity to lead at scale and make a real impact at a critical Goodman Fielder NZ site.

We might be biased but we believe our team here at Goodman Fielder is an amazing place to work, and a great team to be part of! We're driven by our values - We Grow Together, We Keep Things Simple, We Get Stuff Done.

You will be joining a driven team of professionals who genuinely enjoy working together, resulting in a highly collaborative and flexible work environment. In return for your passion and success, we will reward you with a competitive remuneration package and help you to achieve personal and professional growth and development.

At Goodman Fielder, we aim to be a destination employer in the food industry where we don't just offer jobs - we offer long‑term careers.