Production Manager - Powders

The a2 Milk Company; Pokeno; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance & benefits

Annual bonus

Learning & development

Free breakfast/lunch

Gym subsidy

Social club

Job summary

The a2 Milk Company is seeking a seasoned Powder Manufacturing Leader at our Pokeno site. You will head day-to-day powder operations, ensuring targets are met safely and efficiently, while upholding quality and food safety across the operation.

You will drive continuous improvement, coach frontline leaders, and collaborate with site teams to build capability and sustainable performance in a dairy-focused production environment.

Qualifications

• Requires 10+ years leading dairy manufacturing operations.
• Deep knowledge of production processes, control, and quality systems.
• Proven track record in health, safety and food safety compliance.
• Experience driving productivity, yield and cost-efficiency improvements.
• Strong leadership to coach frontline teams and develop capability.
• Excellent problem-solving, data-driven decision making and communication.
• Proficient with ERP and manufacturing software.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day powder manufacturing operations and meet plans and targets.
• Drive health, safety and wellbeing culture with controls and training.
• Ensure processes meet quality and food safety standards with QA collaboration.
• Monitor productivity, yield, waste and costs; identify efficiency gains.
• Coach and develop production leaders to build a high-performing team.

Skills

10+ years experience

Dairy manufacturing

Operational leadership

HSE & Quality

Continuous improvement

People leadership

Analytical/problem solving

ERP knowledge

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Our Story:

The a2 Milk Company, driven by science and a pioneering spirit, disrupted the dairy and infant milk formula industry. Our vision is to create an A1-free world where dairy nourishes all people and our planet.

The a2 Milk Company seeks to achieve this through the naturally occurring a2 Milk® difference and by bringing a more sustainable approach to dairy.

The role:

Based at Pokeno, you'll be responsible for leading our Powder manufacturing team and overseeing day-to-day production operations. You'll focus on ensuring production targets are achieved safely and efficiently, maintaining high standards of quality and food safety, and driving improvements across the operation. Working closely with other site teams, you'll support production performance while developing and building capability within your team.

More specifically, you will be involved in:

• Leading day-to-day powder manufacturing operations, ensuring production plans, volumes and performance targets are consistently achieved.
• Driving a strong health, safety and wellbeing culture, ensuring critical risk controls, safe operating practices and employee training requirements are maintained.
• Ensuring manufacturing processes meet required quality and food safety standards, working closely with Quality to resolve issues and drive continuous improvement.
• Monitoring production performance, including productivity, yield, waste and controllable costs, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce losses.
• Leading, coaching and developing production leaders and employees to build a capable, engaged and high-performing team.

What you will bring:

• At least 10 years' experience, with strong manufacturing and operational leadership capability within a dairy manufacturing environment. Experience in infant formula manufacturing and spray drying is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of production processes, manufacturing operations and process control.
• Demonstrated experience leading health and safety, quality and food safety standards within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience driving operational performance, productivity, yield improvements and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong people leadership capability, with experience coaching and developing frontline leaders and building accountable teams.
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills, with the ability to use operational data to drive performance.
• Confident using ERP, production management and other manufacturing systems.

What we offer

• Medical, Life & Income Protection Insurance.
• Annual Bonus.
• A supportive team culture with learning and development opportunities.
• Free breakfast and lunch provided in our onsite cafeteria.
• Subsidised gym membership.
• Social club.