Production Manager - Dairy

Headhunters; Komani; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking an experienced Production Manager for their client in the dairy industry, located in Queenstown. The ideal candidate will have 7–10 years of experience in cheese production, strong management skills, and a diploma or degree in Food Technology. Key responsibilities include overseeing production processes, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, and driving continuous improvement. This role offers an opportunity to lead a high-performance team in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 / Matric required.
• 7–10 years’ experience in cheese production (hard, processed or mozzarella).
• Minimum 5 years at management level.

Responsibilities

• Manage all cheese production and packaging processes.
• Plan and control production schedules.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
• Drive lean manufacturing and efficiency improvements.

Skills

Experience in cheese production

Leadership skills

Problem-solving skills

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Education

Diploma or Degree in Food Technology, Dairy Science or Production Management

Job description

Overview

Our client in the Dairy industry is seeking to employ an experienced Production Manager to their team based in Queenstown.

Requirements

• Grade 12 / Matric
• Diploma or Degree in Food Technology, Dairy Science or Production Management
• 7–10 years’ experience in cheese production (hard, processed or mozzarella)
• Minimum 5 years at management level
• Strong experience in:

• High-care FMCG manufacturing
• FSSC 22000 environments
• Budget and KPI management

• Proven leadership of large operational teams
• Strong problem-solving, planning, and analytical skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management ability
• Results-driven, hands-on leadership style

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee all cheese production and packaging processes
• Plan and control daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules
• Ensure consistent output in line with customer demand and forecasts
• Drive lean manufacturing, efficiency improvement, and waste reduction
• Coordinate with Engineering to reduce downtime and optimise equipment usage
• Ensure compliance with FSSC 22000 (V6), HACCP, GMP, and food safety regulations
• Lead all internal and external audits with full audit readiness
• Maintain hygiene standards, CCPs, allergen controls, and traceability systems
• Monitor and control production KPIs: yield, throughput, wastage, labour, downtime, and cost per unit
• Analyse performance data and implement corrective actions
• Lead, mentor, and develop supervisors, team leaders, and frontline staff
• Build a high-performance, safety-driven production culture
• Work cross-functionally with Quality, Supply Chain, Technical, and SHE teams
• Participate in customer visits and technical reviews
• Act as escalation point for key production or quality issues
• Drive continuous improvement and lead root cause analysis for recurring issues

Please note that if you do not receive a response within two weeks of applying, you may consider your application unsuccessful.