Shift Manager - Blending & Canning, Pōkeno
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The a2 Milk Company

Shift Manager - Blending & Canning

  • Posted Today
  • On Site
  • Full Time

Pōkeno

Job Description

Our Story:


The a2 Milk Company, driven by science and a pioneering spirit, disrupted the dairy and infant milk formula industry. Our vision is to create an A1-free world where dairy nourishes all people and our planet.


The a2 Milk Company seeks to achieve this through the naturally occurring a2 Milk® difference and by bringing a more sustainable approach to dairy.


The role:


As Shift Manager – Blending & Canning, you’ll play a key role in leading our production team at our Pokeno manufacturing site. You’ll be responsible for driving safe, efficient and high-quality production across the Blending & Canning areas, while developing a high-performing team and identifying opportunities to continually improve plant performance.


This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll work closely with the Production Manager and wider site leadership team to deliver daily production requirements, maintain strong safety and quality standards, and drive improvements across people, processes and equipment.


More specifically, you will be involved in:


  • Leading and developing a team of up to 18 direct reports, including performance, engagement, training and capability development.
  • Driving daily production performance against key measures including safety, quality, efficiency, waste, rate and OEE.
  • Ensuring production processes, food safety requirements and quality systems are consistently followed and maintained.
  • Leading daily team meetings and working with production teams to identify and resolve issues affecting output and performance.
  • Using Lean Manufacturing and structured problem-solving approaches to identify root causes and deliver continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Monitoring manufacturing data, work orders and variance reports to identify opportunities to improve productivity and reduce waste.
  • Working closely with maintenance and site services teams to ensure equipment reliability and preventative maintenance activities support production requirements.
  • Supporting a strong safety culture by identifying hazards, managing incidents and ensuring corrective actions are followed through.
  • Acting as a key point of contact for plant systems and supporting improvements across production, traceability and efficiency reporting systems.


What you will bring:


  • Previous experience leading teams within a manufacturing or production environment, ideally with 2+ years in a leadership role.
  • Experience working within food manufacturing, with knowledge of quality and food safety systems.
  • Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement and structured problem solving.
  • Strong understanding of health and safety practices within a manufacturing environment.
  • Experience working with dairy powder and/or infant formula powder would be highly desirable.
  • Strong communication and people leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, develop and hold team members accountable.
  • A practical, hands-on approach with strong problem-solving and time management skills.
  • Good computer literacy and confidence working with manufacturing data and systems.

Desired Hard Skills

  • Data Analysis
  • Food Safety
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Production Management
  • Root Cause

Desired Soft Skills

  • Time Management
  • Communication
  • Accountability
  • Problem-Solving
  • Team Leadership

Job Schedule

  • Monday to Friday

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