Queenstown: Production Manager – Dairy posted by Headhunters

Our client in the Dairy industry is seeking to employ an experienced Production Manager to their team based in Queenstown.

Requirements

• Grade 12 / Matric

• Diploma or Degree

  • Food Technology, Dairy Science or Production Management

• 710 years experience in cheese production (hard, processed or mozzarella)

• Minimum 5 years at management level

• Strong experience in:

  • High-care FMCG manufacturing

  • FSSC 22000 environments

  • Budget and KPI management

• Proven leadership of large operational teams

• Strong problem-solving, planning, and analytical skills

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management ability

• Results-driven, hands-on leadership style

Responsibilities:

• Manage and oversee all cheese production and packaging processes

• Plan and control daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules

• Ensure consistent output in line with customer demand and forecasts

• Drive lean manufacturing, efficiency improvement, and waste reduction

• Coordinate with Engineering to reduce downtime and optimise equipment usage

• Ensure compliance with FSSC 22000 (V6), HACCP, GMP, and food safety regulations

• Lead all internal and external audits with full audit readiness

• Maintain hygiene standards, CCPs, allergen controls, and traceability systems

• Monitor and control production KPIs: yield, throughput, wastage, labour, downtime, and cost per unit

• Analyse performance data and implement corrective actions

• Lead, mentor, and develop supervisors, team leaders, and frontline staff

• Build a high-performance, safety-driven production culture

• Work cross-functionally with Quality, Supply Chain, Technical, and SHE teams

• Participate in customer visits and technical reviews

• Act as escalation point for key production or quality issues

• Drive continuous improvement and lead root cause analysis for recurring issues

Please note that if you do not receive a response withing two weeks of applying, you many consider your application unsuccessful.