Production Manager

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

We are looking for a Production Manager for our site in Zwijndrecht (NL). The Zwijndrecht site produces emulsifiers which are sold worldwide and also acts as a distribution centre for food ingredients produced by other Kerry sites within western Europe. Kerry strives for continuous innovation, technological creativity, and business excellence in every area within the organization.  
 

The role of the Production Manager is to lead a team of 6 Head Operators directly and 55 operators indirectly and be a key player of the management team to push forward and implement plans to ensure the site runs efficiently and smoothly. This role will give great exposure to the workings of Kerry and will suit someone who is ambitious and eager to grow their career.

Key responsibilities

As Production Manager you will:
 

• Contribute to the optimization of the production processes with the result that standards regarding quality, output, efficiency, service grade and costs can be realised or improved.
• Manage production in accordance with the schedule, the safety requirements, and the quality standards
• Assess the feasibility of commercial plans in terms of technical production aspects, reports problems
• Develop production plans in organisation, staffing, processes, installations etc and present these plans to the site leadership team, and you will justify proposals
• Be responsible for an optimum alignment of staffing, machine capacity and raw materials and consumables
• Guarantee the management of production means, coordinate maintenance schedules with the Maintenance manager and safeguard compliance procedures and requirements in quality and foodstuffs safety
• Keep up to date about production-technical developments and opportunities and initiate possible improvements to production installations and machinery and the quality of the processes
• Develop and educate the staff to be equipped for future developments/changes.

Qualifications and skills

To be successful in this role we are looking for a positive can-do attitude and proven experience as Production Manager.  Ideally you will have the following:
 

• A degree or equivalent in food technology, business administration, engineering or equivalent
• Experience in an operational (production) management job in the foodstuffs, pharma or chemical industry
• A passion for motivating, coaching and managing people
• Knowledge of the relevant legislation and regulations (Occupational Health & Safety, the environment and quality)
• Experience in change and project management
• Six Sigma black belt
• Experience with the ERP (SAP) systems: ECC
• Experience with MS Office
• Excellent written and spoken command of Dutch and English
   

In Kerry we know that sometimes the perfect candidate doesn’t exist, and people can be put off applying for a role if they don’t fit all the requirements. If you are excited about working for us and have the majority of the skills or experience, then please do apply as you could be exactly what we are looking for

What's in it for you?

In return we can offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package as well as the opportunity to build your career  within a global manufacturing business.
 

In Kerry we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles, and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.
 

Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit.  We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kerry and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected characteristic.