Head of Production

The Head of Production leads and directs all Production and Engineering operations, ensuring safe, compliant, efficient and cost-effective manufacture in line with Orean’s growth strategy.

The role is accountable for delivering operational excellence, OTIF performance, quality compliance, labour efficiency and continuous improvement, whilst developing a high-performing Production and Engineering leadership team capable of supporting Orean’s UK and US growth ambitions.

The Responsibilities.

Operational Leadership & Performance

• Lead, manage and develop all Production and Engineering teams to deliver operational excellence and financial performance.
• Own delivery of the daily, weekly and monthly production plan, ensuring all orders are delivered On Time In Full (OTIF).
• Ensure the site has the capacity, capability and resilience to meet current and future business requirements.
• Drive a high-performance culture focused on safety, quality, output, efficiency and continuous improvement.

Quality, Compliance & Safety

• Ensure all operations comply with:
  • Health & Safety legislation
  • GMP
  • Hygiene and housekeeping standards
  • Quality management systems
  • All Orean policies and approved codes of practice
• Maintain audit-ready standards at all times (customer, ISO, regulatory).
• Ensure all employees, contractors and visitors comply with site standards.

Resource & Cost Management

• Optimise utilisation of all labour, machinery and materials to maximise output and minimise waste.
• Own delivery of Labour as % of Revenue targets through:
  • Line efficiency management
  • Run-rate optimisation
  • Wash-out time reduction
  • Labour deployment and shift optimisation
  • Immediate escalation of inefficiencies
• Own reporting and reduction of:
  • Cost of quality
  • Cost of rework
  • Process losses
  • Yield variance

People & Capability Development

• Build a strong leadership structure across Production and Engineering with:
  • Clear accountability
  • Development plans
  • Succession planning
• Identify training needs and ensure delivery of structured training programmes aligned to the Orean Academy.
• Lead performance management, including:
  • 1:2:1s
  • Objectives & KPIs
  • PIPs and disciplinary where required

Engineering, Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Lead delivery of production and engineering projects in line with business cases, budgets, timelines and ROI.
• Drive continuous improvement across:
  • Output & capacity
  • Changeover reduction
  • Yield improvement
  • Waste reduction
  • Reliability & uptime
  • Automation & process optimisation

Stakeholder & Strategic Leadership

• Work cross-functionally with Planning, Quality, R&D, Supply Chain, Finance and Commercial.
• Act as a senior operational leader within the SMT.
• Support long-term capacity, capex and growth planning.

The Skills.

• 5 years’ experience in a fast-moving consumer goods environment, preferably in the food, personal care or pharmaceutical industry.
• Proven experience in people management and process improvements.
• Computer literate, with the ability to compile Excel spreadsheets and Word reports.
• Experienced in implementing procedures and work instructions in line with IS09001.
• Experienced in training staff and maintaining training records.
• Soft Skills: The ability to communicate effectively at all levels on an internal and external basis, whilst using highly developed analytical, observational and managerial skills in a highly demanding role.

Why Join OREAN?

By joining as the Head of Production, you’ll become part of a team committed to manufacturing excellence, product safety and continuous improvement. You’ll benefit from working for a values-led employer that offers a supportive workplace culture, growth opportunities, and a meaningful role in ensuring high-quality standards for our products.

For more about our company culture and values, check out our Careers and About Us pages.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, and we encourage applications from individuals regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or marriage and civil partnerships.