Team Leader (FMCG)

Staff Solutions; Humansdorp; On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Staff Solutions seeks an experienced Production Supervisor for cheese manufacturing in a fast-paced plant. You will lead up to 24 employees, oversee draining vats and cheese towers, and ensure strict adherence to HACCP, GMP, ISO, and quality standards to deliver safe, high-quality products.

Your role includes training and guiding teams, monitoring yields and waste, maintaining documentation, and coordinating with multiple departments to sustain production flow and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 / Matric with SP2 qualification.
• HACCP and Safety Training Certificate.
• Minimum of 1 year's cheese manufacturing experience.
• Supervisory experience in production environments.
• Ability to supervise up to 24 employees.
• Sound knowledge of cheese manufacturing processes, draining vats, cheese towers, and cheese production operations.
• Strong understanding of GMP, HACCP, ISO, Food Safety, Quality, and Hygiene requirements.
• Working knowledge of production equipment and machinery used within a cheese factory.
• Ability to monitor production performance, yields, waste, and product quality standards.
• Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and decision-making skills.
• Good planning, leadership, and people management skills.
• Ability to conduct employee training, coaching, and performance monitoring.
• Good communication skills with the ability to engage effectively across all levels of the business.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to product quality and food safety.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced production environment.
• Computer literacy and accurate record-keeping skills will be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and coordinate up to 24 employees to ensure adherence to policies, productivity targets, and discipline.
• Oversee operation of draining vats, cheese towers, and related equipment for efficient production.
• Monitor cheese production processes (pH, salt, vacuum, weight, recipe compliance) to meet specs.
• Ensure cheese products are produced, handled, packed, and transferred per quality and safety standards.
• Maintain HACCP, ISO, GMP, hygiene, sanitation compliance throughout production.
• Improve production efficiency by tracking yields, waste, and targets.
• Promote a safe working environment with PPE compliance and incident reporting.
• Monitor raw materials, packaging, and resources to minimize waste.
• Complete and sign off production, quality, hygiene, traceability, ISO docs on time.
• Inspect equipment, areas, and sanitation to ensure readiness and compliance.
• Coordinate with Cheesemaker, Laboratory, Warehouse, Planning, and Cold Storage to maintain quality and flow.
• Train, coach, and develop staff to ensure competency and SOP adherence.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Production supervision

Quality & food safety

Training & coaching

Communication

Safety compliance

Planning

Problem solving

Record keeping

Education

Grade 12 / Matric

SP2 qualification

HACCP training certificate

Tools

Computer literacy

Job description

Key Performance Areas:

• Lead, supervise, and coordinate up to 24 employees to ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, productivity targets, and workplace discipline.
• Oversee the operation of draining vats, cheese towers, and associated equipment to ensure efficient and uninterrupted cheese production.
• Monitor cheese production processes, including pH levels, salt addition, vacuum pressure, weight control, and recipe compliance to achieve product specifications.
• Ensure all cheese products are produced, handled, packed, and transferred according to quality, weight, traceability, and food safety requirements.
• Maintain compliance with HACCP, ISO, GMP, hygiene, sanitation, and quality standards throughout the production process.
• Drive production efficiency by monitoring yields, controlling waste, reducing losses, and ensuring production targets are achieved.
• Promote a safe working environment through compliance with safety procedures, PPE requirements, incident reporting, and safety awareness initiatives.
• Monitor raw materials, packaging materials, and production resources to ensure product availability and minimize waste.
• Complete and sign off production, quality, hygiene, traceability, and ISO documentation accurately and on time.
• Conduct inspections of equipment, production areas, and sanitation activities to ensure operational readiness and compliance.
• Coordinate with the Cheesemaker, Laboratory, Warehouse, Planning, and Cold Storage departments to maintain product quality and production flow.
• Train, coach, and develop employees to ensure competency, compliance with SOPs, and continuous skills development.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Grade 12 / Matric and SP2 qualification
• HACCP and Safety Training Certificate.
• Minimum of 1 years' experience in a cheese manufacturing environment.
• Previous supervisory experience overseeing teams in a production environment.
• Ability to supervise and coordinate up to 24 employees.
• Sound knowledge of cheese manufacturing processes, draining vats, cheese towers, and cheese production operations.
• Strong understanding of GMP, HACCP, ISO, Food Safety, Quality, and Hygiene requirements.
• Working knowledge of production equipment and machinery used within a cheese factory.
• Ability to monitor production performance, yields, waste, and product quality standards.
• Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and decision-making skills.
• Good planning, leadership, and people management skills.
• Ability to conduct employee training, coaching, and performance monitoring.
• Good communication skills with the ability to engage effectively across all levels of the business.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to product quality and food safety.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced production environment.
• Computer literacy and accurate record-keeping skills will be advantageous.