Production Manager (Bakery)

Location: Llantrisant, RCT Salary: Up to £60,000 + 33 days annual leave, pension and sick pay Contract: Full-time, Permanent Shifts: 2-shift structure Industry: Chilled Food Manufacturing (Bakery & Pastry)   Applicants must have savoury bakery experience in a production management position for at least 3+ years.   About the Role   We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Bakery Production Manager to take full operational leadership of our chilled pastry and bakery manufacturing site. Overseeing a 2-shift operation, this role is responsible for delivering safe, efficient, compliant and high-performing production across four production lines, pastry manufacturing, cooking and meat preparation areas, ingredients storage, and ovens/baking.   This is a highly influential role requiring strong leadership, outstanding operational capability, and a track record of driving continuous improvement in a fast-paced, short-shelf-life food environment.   Key Responsibilities   Operational Leadership   • Lead all bakery manufacturing areas including pastry production, filling & cooking, meat prep, ingredient storage, baking and four high-volume production lines. • Manage Shift Managers, Supervisors and Team Leaders to ensure daily delivery of production plans safely and on time. • Oversee material flow, ensuring meat prep and cook room areas remain on plan to avoid delays. • Full responsibility for the Ovens area, product quality and baking profiles • Manage labour planning, standards, crewing and agency usage, ensuring accurate cost control. • Drive strong GMP and technical compliance in partnership with Technical & QA teams.   Performance & Continuous Improvement   • Own and deliver performance metrics including OEE, line efficiency, yield, waste, labour productivity and downtime. • Identify and close performance gaps through structured continuous improvement initiatives. • Ensure accurate performance reporting and management of Redzone KPIs. • Champion right-first-time quality and production stability.   Quality, Food Safety & GMP   • Ensure compliance with BRCGS, HACCP and all food safety and legal requirements. • Embed exceptional GMP, hygiene and housekeeping standards across all areas. • Lead investigations, corrective actions and support customer audits and technical visits. • Work with Quality teams to reduce waste, improve standards and maintain audit-ready conditions.   People Leadership   • Build, coach and develop a high-performing production leadership team. • Manage performance, succession planning, capability development and engagement. • Lead all people processes including absence, holidays, training, discipline and grievances. • Foster a culture of accountability, involvement and pride.   Cost & Resource Management   • Control labour, materials, giveaway, rework and waste to meet budget requirements. • Work closely with Supply Chain and Planning to maximise raw material efficiency   Cross-Functional Collaboration   • Partner with Engineering to improve reliability, maintenance and line performance. • Support NPD and Process teams with new launches and process changes. • Collaborate with Supply Chain, Planning, Technical and Quality teams to ensure seamless operations.   Customer Service   • Ensure production plans are achieved, and customer service levels are consistently met. • Escalate risks early, take corrective action and support the reduction of customer complaints.   Health & Safety   • Champion a safety-first culture with no compromise. • Ensure full compliance with site H&S policies for employees and contractors. • Investigate unsafe practices and ensure timely corrective actions.   Key Behaviours   • Highly self-motivated, enthusiastic and leads by example • Excellent problem-solving and analytical ability • Strong attention to detail and resilience under pressure • Commercially aware with a continuous improvement mindset • Builds strong relationships and communicates effectively at all levels • Passionate about quality, safety and operational excellence   Essential Experience   • Significant senior production management experience within chilled food manufacturing (ideally bakery/pastry). • Strong background in high-volume, short-shelf-life environments. • Proven experience improving OEE, yield, waste and line efficiency. • Strong leadership capabilities across multi-area operations. • Excellent knowledge of GMP, food safety and quality systems. • Data-driven and confident in performance analysis and decision-making.   Desirable Experience   • Experience within complex environments including cooking, baking and raw meat handling. • Exposure to Lean, Six Sigma or continuous improvement methodologies. • Experience with major audits and customer-facing interactions.   Key Objectives   • Plan attainment: 95%+ on all shifts • OEE: 70% pure OEE / 80% non-pure OEE • Giveaway: <3% • Pastry waste: Reduction through improved process control • GMP: Strong standards and fewer non-conformances • Quality: Right-first-time manufacturing with zero defects   You may have experience in the following: Bakery Production Manager, Food Production Manager, Pastry Production Manager, Savoury Bakery Manager, Chilled Food Manufacturing, Production Manager, Factory Manager, Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager   REF-(Apply online only)