Production Manager

Production Manager

📍 Burgersdorp, Eastern Cape 📅 Permanent Position

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Production Manager to lead and coordinate daily manufacturing operations within our Animal Health production facilities. This role is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution of production plans while maintaining the highest standards of quality, compliance, and operational excellence.

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the successful candidate will lead production supervisors and teams, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and ensure achievement of production, safety, quality, and productivity targets.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership & Operations

• Lead and manage day-to-day production activities across manufacturing facilities.
• Ensure production targets are achieved safely, efficiently, and on schedule.
• Monitor operational performance and implement corrective actions where required.
• Optimise labour, equipment, and material utilisation to maximise productivity.
• Ensure compliance with SOPs, GMP requirements, and company standards.

Production Planning & Resource Management

• Coordinate execution of production schedules with Planning, Warehouse, Quality, and Maintenance teams.
• Ensure availability of labour, materials, and equipment to support production demands.
• Monitor production output, material utilisation, and operational efficiencies.
• Identify capacity constraints and recommend improvement opportunities.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors and production teams.
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and high performance.
• Manage employee performance, disciplinary processes, and development plans.
• Support succession planning and training initiatives.

SHEQ & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with Safety, Health, Environment, Quality, and GMP requirements.
• Promote proactive risk management and a strong safety culture.
• Lead investigations into incidents, non-conformances, and near misses.
• Support internal and external audits and drive closure of findings.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive initiatives that improve productivity, efficiency, quality, and cost performance.
• Analyse production trends and operational data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence initiatives.

Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Monitor and report on key operational and production KPIs.
• Analyse downtime, losses, labour utilisation, and productivity trends.
• Build strong working relationships across cross-functional teams.
• Support the Operations Manager in achieving departmental and business objectives.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

Essential

• National Diploma or Degree in Production Management, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.

Advantageous

• Leadership or Middle Management qualification.
• Lean Manufacturing qualification.
• Continuous Improvement qualification.
• Project Management qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 5 years' experience in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Minimum 3 years' experience managing or leading production teams.

Advantageous

• Experience in Animal Feed, Agricultural, Chemical, or FMCG manufacturing.
• Lean Manufacturing implementation experience.
• Continuous Improvement experience.
• Production Planning experience.
• ISO and/or GMP manufacturing experience.

Knowledge & Skills

• Production Management and Manufacturing Principles
• Production Planning and Scheduling
• Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement
• SHEQ Management Systems
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Labour Relations and People Management
• ERP/Manufacturing Systems
• Microsoft Office Suite

Competencies

• Production & Operational Management
• People Leadership & Team development
• SHEQ & Compliance Management
• Continuous Improvement & Lean Thinking
• Planning & Resource Management
• Analytical Thinking & Decision Making

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