Lead a major factory relocation into a state-of-the-art greenfield manufacturing facility. The Company We’re partnering with a well-established food manufacturer that supplies some of Australia’s most recognised retail and food service brands. Due to continued investment and growth, they’re looking for an experienced Manufacturing Manager to lead production operations, drive operational excellence, and continue building a high-performance culture. As part of its long-term growth strategy, the business is embarking on an exciting transition to a brand-new purpose-built greenfield manufacturing facility. This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in one of the company’s most significant capital investment projects, helping shape the future manufacturing operation from the ground up. The Role Reporting to the General Manager of Operations, your responsibilities will include: Play a key leadership role in the successful transition from the existing manufacturing facility into a new purpose-built greenfield site (From regional Victoria to Melbourne). Lead and develop multiple Production Supervisors and Team Leaders, building a culture of accountability, engagement and high performance. Drive manufacturing performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People, ensuring all operational KPIs are achieved or exceeded. Champion Lean Manufacturing principles across the site, embedding tools such as 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, SMED, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping and Root Cause Analysis. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), labour productivity, yield, waste reduction, changeover efficiency and production throughput. Lead structured problem-solving using methodologies including A3 Thinking, PDCA, DMAIC, 5 Whys and Fishbone Analysis. Partner closely with Engineering and Maintenance to maximise equipment reliability, minimise downtime and improve preventative maintenance compliance. Ensure full compliance with HACCP, GMP, food safety, quality and regulatory requirements. Drive a proactive safety culture through visible leadership, risk management and behavioural safety initiatives. Your Background To be successful in this role you will have: Minimum 5 years’ experience at Manufacturing / Production Manager level within a food, beverage, dairy, meat, bakery or FMCG manufacturing environment. Demonstrated success leading large production teams across complex, high-volume manufacturing operations. Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles with proven experience implementing Continuous Improvement initiatives that deliver measurable operational outcomes. Experience improving key manufacturing metrics including OEE, labour efficiency, waste reduction, schedule adherence, throughput and production yield. Excellent people leadership skills with a passion for coaching, mentoring and developing future leaders. Strong commercial acumen with experience managing operational budgets, labour costs and manufacturing performance. Highly developed communication and stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the business. What’s On Offer This is a genuine career-defining opportunity to be part of a significant greenfield manufacturing project. You’ll play an instrumental role in relocating and commissioning a brand-new purpose-built facility, influencing everything from manufacturing processes and factory layout through to team structure, operational systems and Lean manufacturing principles. You’ll be offered a highly competitive salary package, genuine career progression opportunities and the autonomy to shape manufacturing performance within a business that values innovation, leadership and continuous improvement.
