Production Manager

Production Manager Up to £55,000 DOE

Yolk Recruitment are proud to be partnering with a leading chilled food manufacturing business to recruit an experienced Production Manager for a pivotal senior leadership position. This is a high-profile, hands‑on operational role with genuine influence across a complex, fast‑paced manufacturing environment, where you will be responsible for shaping performance, driving standards, and delivering excellence across the end-to‑end bakery production process.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a results‑driven production leader who thrives in high‑volume, time‑critical food manufacturing and is motivated by continuous improvement, operational excellence, and team development. You will play a key role in improving OEE, reducing waste, enhancing yield, and embedding a culture of right‑first‑time production, all while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, GMP, and product quality.

• Lead end‑to‑end bakery production operations across multiple areas including pastry, cooking, meat prep, ovens, ingredient storage, and production lines
• Manage and develop Production Shift Managers, Supervisors, and Team Leaders to deliver safe and efficient daily operations
• Ensure production plans are delivered on time, in full, in line with customer demand and business priorities
• Drive operational performance through ownership of key KPIs including OEE, yield, waste, downtime, and labour efficiency
• Lead continuous improvement activity to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and improve process stability
• Ensure full compliance with food safety standards including BRCGS, HACCP, GMP, and internal quality systems
• Take ownership of labour planning, agency usage, and workforce efficiency across a 2‑shift operation
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Technical, QA, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Planning teams to ensure seamless end‑to‑end operations

• Proven experience operating at Production Manager level within a bakery or food manufacturing environment
• Track record of improving OEE, yield, efficiency, and waste performance
• Strong knowledge of GMP, HACCP, and food safety systems

• Competitive salary
• Retail discounts
• Pension