Whey Processing Plant Manager

Job Title:

Whey Processing Plant Manager

Contact:
Conor O'Hagan

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Whey Processing Plant Manager to lead the operations of a state-of-the-art whey ultra-filtration facility. This senior management role involves overseeing all aspects of performance, including upstream and downstream processing, to produce high-quality whey protein and lactose-based nutrition products for global customers in the infant formula, health, and food sectors.

• Strong Salary - depending on experience
• Opportunity to lead a cutting-edge whey processing facility
• Work with a global customer base in the nutrition and health sectors

As the Whey Processing Plant Manager
, you will:

• Lead a multi-disciplinary team to ensure the safe, efficient operation, cleaning, and maintenance of the whey processing plant.
• Manage all aspects of upstream and downstream whey processing to optimise output, cost, and quality performance.
• Apply technical and analytical expertise to support high-performance manufacturing.
• Build and utilise process trends to enable data-driven decision-making.
• Drive decisions with a focus on quality, cost, and customer outcomes.
• Investigate and resolve quality issues, implementing corrective actions to restore and improve performance.
• Empower the team with process methodologies to ensure timely and effective decision-making.
• Conduct trials and adjust input parameters to enhance output performance, yield, and efficiency.
• Identify and address bottlenecks in the process, collaborating with the engineering team to implement solutions.
• Act as a key liaison with external customers, ensuring their expectations are met.
• Maintain compliance with food safety, quality, health and safety, and operational standards.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance performance and reliability.
• Lead and support investment and improvement initiatives to achieve world-class manufacturing standards.

To excel in this role, you will need:

• A third-level qualification in an applied science discipline, preferably chemical or mechanical engineering.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience in food processing management or a similar field.
• Strong technical and analytical skills within a continuous processing or complex manufacturing environment.
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to develop and manage multi-disciplinary teams.
• A track record of delivering operational excellence across quality, cost, output, and continuous improvement.
• In-depth knowledge of food processing operations, with the practical skills and judgement to thrive in a world-class production environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across internal teams and with external customers.

• Experience in dairy, whey, or nutritional ingredients manufacturing.
• Familiarity with filtration technologies and complex processing plant operations.
• A history of leading major improvement or capital investment programmes in manufacturing.

• Competitive salary (negotiable based on experience).
• Opportunity to work in a cutting-edge facility with a global customer base.
• A supportive and innovative company culture that values continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Full-time hours, Monday to Friday.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.

Salary details are provided as a guide and may vary based on experience and expertise. We reserve the right to heighten shortlisting criteria depending on the calibre of response.