Factory Manager – Chilled Food Manufacturing (Middlesbrough) Location: Middlesbrough, UK Company: Leading Chilled Food Manufacturer Salary: £65,000 (DOE), with excellent benefits Are you an experienced Production Manager within food manufacturing, looking for your next challenge or step up the ladder? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where continuous improvement, team development, and operational excellence are key drivers of success? If so, we want you to join our team as a Factory Manager at our state-of-the-art chilled food manufacturing site in Middlesbrough. About The Role As one of our Factory Managers, you will take full responsibility for leading and inspiring our site team, including Shift Managers, Team Leaders and indirectly all our fantastic production operatives who do an amazing job in crafting our superb products. You will be pivotal in driving our site manufacturing strategy forward, ensuring production meets all quality, safety, efficiency, and cost standards. Your Key Responsibilities Will Include Leadership & Development: Provide clear leadership to all factory employees, ensuring production schedules are met and operational data is accurately recorded. Develop your team through coaching, training, and by fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. Operational Excellence: Drive efficiency and KPI improvements (throughput, waste, costs) while promoting a culture of operational excellence. You will lead projects from idea to completion, continuously looking for ways to improve equipment and processes. Strategic Implementation: Implement new systems and best practices to improve factory performance and enhance cultural behaviors that align with company values. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the NPD and Process teams to ensure timely delivery of all new products that meet customer specifications and cost standards. Audit Readiness: Ensure full compliance with BRC and other audit standards by maintaining an ‘audit-ready’ status across all shifts. Oversee the team to ensure operational excellence and customer satisfaction. Performance Management: Set and drive KPIs for direct reports, ensuring performance is actively reviewed and measured against set budgets and targets. You will also lead factory-wide communications and ensure that key meetings and reviews are happening as needed. Customer Relationship Management: Manage customer visits, build strong relationships, and ensure that all service levels are achieved. Who We're Looking For Proven leadership (at least 7 years) experience within a chilled food manufacturing environment. Strong knowledge of operational excellence and continuous improvement techniques. Experience in managing production teams and implementing process improvements – This is very much a hands on job, not stuck behind a desk, you will be in the factory working with your teams. Exceptional communication skills and the ability to manage customer relationships effectively. A proactive mindset with the ability to adapt to the changing needs of a growing business. Experience with BRC standards and maintaining audit compliance. Successful track record of leading and managing large operational teams within chilled food manufacturing A proven track success of Operational Excellence/continuous improvement over a sustained period Working knowledge of ERP systems Ability to lead, inspire, organise, and motivate a team, showing energy, drive, and determination to succeed. What's in it for you? We are fast growing business with fantastic opportunity for career development in a large people-centric business. Benefits To Include Car Allowance Bonus 33 Days annual leave 2 Employee Volunteering Days per year Online and High-street retailer discount scheme Employee well-being and community support groups Career Development with further progression opportunities including group level roles Informal and Formal training opportunities with personalised online LMS platform Charity Initiatives and Team events 24/7 Access to Grocery Aid (Free Financial, Emotional and Practical Support) Physical Wellbeing Benefits – Free on demand exercise hub and various gym discounts. Online Wellbeing benefits Free Financial wellbeing – mortgage calculators, budget tools, financial aid tools Holiday Discounts via Online Retail Discount We are very proud to have built an inclusive and respectful culture where our colleagues feel safe, supported and valued. A place where they can bring their whole selves to work to achieve exceptional results and thrive. We continue to attract diverse talent into our teams, because we know greater diversity leads to exceptional results and provides a better working life. That’s why we’re committed to ensuring Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect in all that we do. Recruitment Agencies We have an active and trusted Preferred Supplier List to assist us if required. We do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies. This is a fantastic opportunity for a driven Production or Factory Manager to make a real impact within a leading food manufacturing business or for somebody looking to take their next step up. If you're ready to take on the challenge, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today to continue our journey toward operational excellence and team development Apply now