Assistant Production Manager

About Kerry

Kerry Group’s UK & Ireland dairy related business includes Dairy Ingredients, Dairy Nutritional Ingredients, Dairy Consumer Foods, and Agribusiness. With a revenue in excess of €1bn per year, it is one of the world’s leading dairy businesses. With our strong dairy heritage and deep-rooted connection to our 3,000 milk suppliers, right through to our portfolio of innovative and high-quality brands, the dairy business has a unique and compelling proposition for both consumers and our customers. 

Our dairy business has a diversified portfolio of dairy, nutritional ingredients and market leading dairy brands and its vertically integrated dairy processing ensures the highest quality, sustainably produced 1.2bn litres of milk for our dairy, nutritional ingredients, and consumer foods business – a key consideration among some of our largest customers across the globe.  

We have an unrivalled dairy consumer brands portfolio coupled with a track record in innovation underpinned by technology and science. We manufacture and market our own leading butter, dairy, and plant spreads brands: Dairygold, Low Low, Pure and Golden Cow. We are the largest supplier of Private Label dairy spreads, supplying all major retailers in Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. Our cheese brands compete in children’s cheese snacks (Attack-a-Snak), natural cheese (block, slices and grated), and in processed cheese segments and our leading cheese brands include Strings & Things, Coleraine, and Charleville Cheese. Through our multi-geographical presence (UK, Ireland, and Western Europe) we have a deep consumer insight which is a key component of the business. 

About the role

Due to growing demand, we are looking for an Assistant Production Manager to join the Kerry Dairy Ireland team. This is a new and exciting role where no 2 days will be the same and will suit someone who is looking to take the next step in their career with a forward thinking and innovative company.

As an Assistant Production Manager, you report into the Factory Manager and support on all Quality, Safety and Plant improvements, you will be assisting with the management of a large team with a focus on plant efficiency and ensuring all audits are passed when customers come on site.

We are flexible on candidate location between Listowel and Charleville and look forward to helping develop and grow your career.

What will I be doing?

• Ensures compliance to Company Health, Quality, Safety and Environment policy.
• Deliver products/services committed to the customers at the right time, cost, quality and responsiveness to support their plans.
• Understands the technical and legislative elements associated with their area of responsibility and ensure compliance.
• Utilize the standard tools, Key Performance Indicators and processes to ensure that committed goals and improvements are achieved.
• Executes the planning and balancing of load and capacity in the short, medium term to meet the customer demands and achieve the plant strategy, using the required Supply Chain Planning & Control tools, policies, and planning process to ensure credible plans based on historical data.
• Creates and agrees elements of their areas budget (headcount, productivity, overtime, absenteeism) ; monitoring and controlling the performance to ensure the budget is met.
• Ensures that the staff are appropriately trained and supervised to carry out their roles effectively and are developed for future requirements using the company standard processes and tools. 
• Creates the environment for continuous improvement with the emphasis on sharing and searching for best practice with other areas and other internal and external networks 

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• Optimizes the performance of manufacturing assets through appropriate means such as effective coordination of Machine Tool Maintenance resources.
• Leads the employee engagement activity within their area.

What's in it for me?

At Kerry, we believe in giving talented, curious people the opportunity to make a difference.

We work as a team, searching for the best ways to inspire food and nourish life.

We are a community of innovators, working across disciplines to solve global food challenges with a fresh approach. We want you to achieve whatever you put your mind to.

We also offer:

• 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
• Hybrid working
• Health Care Cover
• Matched pension scheme
• Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers including Tesco, Curry’s, Argos, and many others

What do I need to be successful?

In Kerry we understand that people have very different career trajectories and experiences. In order to be successful in this role we would be looking for the right competencies and aptitudes as well as your proven track record of success of people management in an Operations or Manufacturing background.

These include:

• Demonstrated drive and determination with ownership of role
• Decisive and capable of working off own initiative when the situation demands it.
• Mechanical Aptitude 
• Analytical approach to trouble-shooting, root cause analysis.
• Strategic thinking about the “bigger picture”.  Also considers and thinks through all options before choosing one.
• Ability to understand, in depth, both products and processes.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Excellent organizational & planning skills.
• Innovative / creative.
• Excellent numeracy & PC skills.
• Commercial awareness.

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At Kerry, we believe in giving talented, curious people the opportunity to make a difference.  

We work as a team, searching for the best ways to inspire food and nourish life.  

We’re a community of innovators, working across disciplines to solve global food challenges with a fresh approach. We want you to achieve whatever you put your mind to.