PRODUCTION MANAGER
Operations

Accountable for quality, standards, service and desired outputs within inter-related functional areas of responsibility. May be responsible for work of others. This role will work with various closely related concrete variables, requiring an understanding of the theory or practices underpinning inter-related functional processes.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this role is to enable achievement of Production targets, within area of responsibility, through effectively managing production activities and ensuring adherence to an operational and financial framework of practices, processes, standards and controls, and through planning, coordinating and controlling manufacturing processes and the maintenance of equipment and machinery so that goods and services are produced efficiently.

Key Accountabilities and Outputs

• Actively engage at regional level in the End-to-End Sales and Operational Planning Process
• Contribute to the Material Planning process as well as the execution of the Material Plan for region of responsibility
• Ensure that the Daily Production / Manufacturing Schedule is aligned to ensure delivery in line with customer requirements
• Work in conjunction with the Plant Manager to guarantee order fulfilment in line with customer requirements, cost, quality and time parameters

Produce / Manufacture Product

• Monitor the Daily Production / Manufacturing Schedule to ensure timeous product delivery to customers
• Manage the entire end to end Production/Manufacturing process for relevant region
• Supervise the production of syrup and related products in line with established standards, policies; procedures and safety guidelines
• Plan, organise, direct, and run optimum day-to-day operations to exceed customers' expectations
• Increase production, assets capacity and flexibility while minimising costs and maintaining current quality standards
• Implement operational strategies in alignment with strategic initiatives and provide a clear sense of direction and focus
• Monitor operations and trigger corrective actions where deviations and trends are timeously detected, formulating action plans for recovery and improvement, e.g. stock taking
• Stay up to date with latest production management best practices and concepts

Infrastructure Maintenance

• Ensure that all Infrastructure are maintained to ensure optimal capacity usage and availability
• Support new project implementation to address capacity shortfalls and constraints
• Develop systems and processes that track and optimise productivity and standards, metrics, and performance targets to ensure effective return on assets

SHERQ framework, initiatives and communications

• Monitor the execution and maintenance of a SHERQ Framework of practices, processes, policies and procedures, standards and controls for application across all geographies
• Assist with monitoring SHERQ Compliance in region of responsibility
• Ensure the site conforms to regulatory and QMS requirements, including support of internal / external risk audits

Adherence to the health, safety, food and environmental standards

• Adherence to Standards: Ensure strict adherence to health, safety, food, and environmental standards, including compliance with all Food Safety Policies and PRP's.
• Enforcement: Enforce all food safety and health regulations, policies, and requirements at all times to guarantee a secure work environment.
• Visitor and Contractor Management: Manage the sign-in, escort, and PPE compliance for all visitors and contractors. Ensure their awareness of hygiene policies and prohibit smoking, eating, or drinking inside the facility.
• Personal Hygiene: Maintain exceptional personal hygiene as per the organization's code of conduct.
• Handwashing Procedures: Supervise staff to ensure proper hand cleaning and sanitization before handling any products.
• Contamination Control: Raise awareness about potential physical product contamination and implement control measures to prevent it.
• Health and Safety Measures: Take reasonable precautions to prevent health and safety hazards. Follow the prescribed incident reporting procedure in case of accidents.
• First Aid Awareness: Ensure staff is aware of on-site first aiders and trained to report injuries and illnesses to supervisors/first aiders.
• Knowledge and Compliance: Stay updated with relevant business information, policies, processes, and procedures. Enforce compliance with legislative and statutory requirements, as well as GMP's (Good Manufacturing Practices).
• Training: Attend and enforce the implementation of learnings from training sessions related to Quality, Food Safety, and Health and safety.
• Security: Be vigilant about food defence and food fraud risks to safeguard the integrity of products.
• Housekeeping: Maintain high levels of cleanliness and orderliness within the work environment.
• Assist QA with the formulation

General Business, Financial and People Management

• Actively participate in operational planning and budgeting processes
• Ensure Production consistently meets budget, goals, targets and due dates, creating value for the business
• Manage and reduce stock losses / store variances
• Monitor and drive line productivity yield and labour productivity
• Control and reduce power and fuel consumption
• Manage headcount budget and overtime, and collect and analyse data to minimise costs, e.g. waste / overtime
• Drive continuous improvement through streamlining and optimising relevant operational practices, processes and systems
• Ensure adherence to operational and financial frameworks of practices, processes, standards and controls
• Ensure Adherence to all applicable Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Standards
• Manage cost drivers and take the necessary action to mitigate financial risk and address variances and discrepancies
• Ensure that the right people capacity is in place and manage employee performance through effective and goal directed people leadership
• Manage, develop, and motivate the Production team, including team development in line with the Care & Growth philosophy, to achieve Production objectives

General Business, Financial and People Management

• Actively participate in operational planning and budgeting processes
• Ensure Production consistently meets budget, goals, targets and due dates, creating value for the business
• Manage and reduce stock losses / store variances
• Monitor and drive line productivity yield and labour productivity
• Control and reduce power and fuel consumption
• Manage headcount budget and overtime, and collect and analyse data to minimise costs, e.g. waste / overtime
• Drive continuous improvement through streamlining and optimising relevant operational practices, processes and systems
• Ensure adherence to operational and financial frameworks of practices, processes, standards and controls
• Ensure Adherence to all applicable Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Standards
• Manage cost drivers and take the necessary action to mitigate financial risk and address variances and discrepancies
• Ensure that the right people capacity is in place and manage employee performance through effective and goal directed people leadership
• Manage, develop, and motivate the Production team, including team development in line with the Care & Growth philosophy, to achieve Production objectives

Production Line Ownership, Reliability and First-Line Maintenance

• Act as the operational owner of all production lines and production equipment within the area of responsibility, ensuring safe operation, effective utilisation, asset care, performance and achievement of production targets.
• Own the day-to-day condition and performance of the production lines, including start-up readiness, operating discipline, changeovers, cleaning, shutdown handovers and timely escalation of equipment abnormalities.
• Ensure that production operators execute defined first-line maintenance and autonomous maintenance activities, including routine cleaning, inspection, lubrication, tightening, minor adjustments and basic fault-finding, within approved competence and safety limits.
• Ensure first-line maintenance activities are incorporated into daily production routines, properly documented and audited for compliance and effectiveness.
• Work closely with the Technical Manager and technical team to improve machine reliability, availability, uptime, throughput and overall equipment effectiveness.
• Participate in daily downtime reviews, breakdown investigations and root-cause analysis, and ensure that agreed corrective and preventative actions are implemented.
• Coordinate production requirements with planned and preventative maintenance schedules, ensuring that equipment is released safely and timeously to Technical and formally handed back to Production after maintenance.
• Monitor and drive production line performance through measures including uptime, downtime, NE%, TE%, speed losses, minor stops, waste, yield and changeover performance.
• Ensure production teams do not continue operating equipment where doing so may compromise employee safety, food safety, product quality or equipment integrity.
• Develop operator technical capability and promote a culture of equipment ownership, early abnormality detection and prevention of recurring failures.

Injection Moulding and Closure Manufacturing (where applicable)

• Manage the end-to-end production activities associated with beverage manufacturing, syrup preparation, filling and packaging, PET preform injection moulding and closure manufacturing, where applicable to the site.
• Ensure injection moulding and closure manufacturing operations achieve the required safety, quality, output, efficiency, yield, waste and cost targets.
• Ensure effective control of production parameters, mould and tooling condition, material handling, start-up and shutdown procedures, product changeovers and in-process quality requirements within plastics manufacturing operations.
• Work with Quality and Technical teams to investigate and resolve preform and closure defects, process deviations, equipment losses and recurring quality or reliability failures.

Qualifications and Experience

• 3 – 4 year technical qualification (e.g. BScience: Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical or Chemical) / B. Engineering / Operations Management) (Essential)
• FMCG experience 5-10 years leading production teams (bottling, beverage or high-speed packaging preferred), including at least 3 years at managerial level
• Strong track record of delivering results in a manufacturing role
• Leadership Capability, with the ability to create accountability and lead by example
• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources, leadership, production methods, and coordination of people and resources
• Familiarity with industry standard equipment and technical expertise
• MS Excel; MS Word; SAP; E Mail; MS PowerPoint

Key Qualities

Communication

• Routine communication in connection with instructions, requests or normal work tasks

Problem Solving

• Proactive identification of functional problems related to a specific process or policy, determine cause and impact, and choose the best alternative to solve the problem based on guidelines provided and an understanding of the theory or practices underpinning the problem.

Relationships Maintained

• Others outside of own work area but inside the organisation

Behavioural Competencies

Conflict Management

• Ability to openly addresses conflicts as they arise to ensure maintenance of strong relationships
• Considers relevant information when resolving conflict.
• Demonstrates an understanding of all parties view-points.
• Takes a calm and objective approach when resolving conflict.
• Proposes suggestions which promote resolution to conflicts.

Planning and Organising

• Manages time effectively, ensuring effective completion of tasks under stressful deadlines.
• Able to prioritise activities and resources, ensuring that results are achieved effectively.
• Able to evaluate progress and make appropriate adjustments to initial plans, ensuring a successful outcome.

Leadership

• Able to communicate and gain team commitment to a vision of what is to be achieved.
• Delegates fully and creates opportunities which help others to develop their potential.
• Identifies inequalities of opportunity within the workplace and takes steps to address them.
• Inspires and empowers others to overcome difficulties and achieve goals.
• Nurtures strong team identity and pride.
• Makes decisions and takes actions by considering the cost, value, contribution, and business impact to own and other teams / locations.
• Understands the capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses of team members and allocates responsibility accordingly for effective outcomes.

Verbal Communication

• Able to communicate verbally in a logical manner.
• Takes the intended audience into account when communicating verbal information.
• Makes use of appropriate business language in verbal communication.
• Includes all relevant information in verbal arguments.
• Demonstrates proficiency of language in verbal communication.
• Interprets complex information to expresses own viewpoint in verbal communication.
• Concludes verbal arguments by making reference to relevant facts

Continuous Improvement

• Increases performance expectations when success has been achieved
• Seeks out sources of information, including trade associations, “best practice” companies, customers, peers, subordinates, etc.
• Finds ways to fast-adapt improvement ideas to work processes
• Proactively seeks out resources, alliances, etc., needed to quickly introduce improvements

Contact information

Busisiwe Mlobeli