HEAD OF PRODUCTION
Location: The Waddesdon Estate, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Role: Full time starting as soon as possible
The Company:
Since its launch in 2017, The REAL Co. has become one of the leaders in both the no&low and functional beverage categories in the UK and beyond. Based upon a unique patent pending fermentation technology we produce both the award winning alcohol-free sparklings under the REAL brand, as well as a wide range of functional beverages in partnership with leading retailers, food service and other partner brands.
The role:
The REAL Co. are looking for an ambitious candidate to lead the development and rapid expansion of all wet-side operations at the Fermentery. This includes the areas of fermentation, filtration, canning and bottling. Current capacity runs to approx 250,000L/month but is expanding fast to handle an acceleration of demand. The role will include ownership of the production plan and allocation of all production resources, leadership and development of a great team (currently 6 and growing fast), and driving processes and efficiency within manufacturing operations.
The role will specifically involve:
* Production Planning: Manage the monthly, weekly and daily production plan, allocate resources to each area as appropriate and ensure the team is in place to deliver.
* Production Expert: Become an expert in all aspects of production: brewing, filtration, bottling, canning and all peripheral activities and work with the QA team to refine or develop production SOPs
* Quality leadership: Work with our technical team to define levels of quality across product and production activities, ensure the production team is trained to follow SOPs and meet our high quality production and data standards
* Efficiency Management: Monitor and continually improve the efficiency of production activities through people processes, SOPs and equipment changes.
* Engineering: Be able to plan and expand capacity, oversee installation and maintenance, and problem solve equipment and engineering challenges throughout the production facility.
* Team Leadership: Recruit, manage, and develop an extraordinary team of people. Be a leader, manager, coach and role model to the team.
* Capacity Planning: Work with the senior leadership on both short and long term capacity plans and how to deliver 5x volume in a relatively short period of time.
Qualifications and experience
* Production management experience, and proven track record of building, managing and developing a highly effective team.
* Has likely run a production site, or been responsible for an area of production in a larger manufacturing facility.
* Brewing, Distilling or Fermenting experience preferred: brewing qualification or relevant degree in science preferred but not mandatory
The candidate will:
* Be a natural leader of people, being able to motivate and get the best out of their team
* Be highly organised, and have a clear capability in planning and allocation of resources across complex processes.
* Be a hands-on leader. Be ready to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty in day to day operations to support the team as required
* Be dogged about driving process improvements and efficiencies with their team and the facilities they have available.
* Enjoy the challenge of scaling up a team, processes and operations. Constantly challenge the leadership on how to do things better to ensure the company can grow.
* Handle well the ambiguity and constant evolution of a fast growing and ambitious business.
* Have an interest in the food and drink industry preferably in wine, beer, spirits or functional non-alcoholic drinks.
* Be keen to become an integral part of a tight and friendly team
* Be a self starter, show initiative and constantly learn from those around them
* Be agile and lend their hand to a task, even if it is outside of their role / job title
* Have a positive, proactive, problem solving attitude
What's in it for you
* Be part of a fast paced and growing business in the drinks industry
* Work with an experienced and passionate team
* The opportunity to learn from others in the team who care about staff development and progress
* The opportunity to join a company early that is in an exciting and growing sector
* A competitive salary but, more importantly, an opportunity for wealth creation through equity participation
* A constant supply of REAL non-alc drinks for you to enjoy with friends and family