Description:
Minimum requirements:Grade 12 / Matric / Equivalent. Degree or Diploma in Food Technology, Dairy Science, Production Management, or a related field. Minimum 710 years experience in cheese production (hard, processed, or mozzarella), with at least 5 years at a management level. Strong working knowledge of FSSC 22000 and high-care manufacturing environments. Proven track record in managing production budgets, KPIs, and large operational teams. Personality Traits:
Strong leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving capability. Hands-on, decisive, and results-oriented leadership style. Excellent analytical, planning, and operational problem-solving capability. Ability to lead teams under pressure and deliver results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills. Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence. Attention to detail, disciplined execution, and focus on quality compliance. Duties and responsibilities:
Operational Management: Oversee all cheese production and packaging processes, ensuring consistent output and adherence to production schedules. Plan and manage daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules in line with business forecasts and customer demand. Optimise equipment utilisation and minimise downtime through proactive maintenance coordination with Engineering. Implement best-practice lean manufacturing principles to improve throughput, efficiency, and waste reduction. Food Safety, Quality, and Compliance: Ensure full compliance with FSSC 22000 (V6), HACCP, GMP, and all relevant regulatory requirements. Lead internal and external audits, ensuring 100% audit readiness. Implement, monitor, and maintain critical control points (CCPs), hygiene standards, allergen controls, and product traceability. Ensure finished products consistently meet quality specifications for texture, flavour, moisture, and packaging standards. Cost and Performance Management: Track and manage production KPIs, including yield, throughput, wastage, labour productivity, downtime, and cost per unit. Analyse production data to identify trends, issues, and opportunities for continuous improvement. Implement corrective actions to address inefficiencies, quality deviations, or non-compliance incidents. People Leadership and Development: Lead, mentor, and develop production supervisors, team leaders, and frontline staff. Set clear performance objectives and accountability for all production areas. Foster a culture of safety, discipline, high performance, and continuous improvement. Ensure adequate succession planning and s
05 Jan 2026;
from:
gumtree.co.za