Primary Production Manager

Kepak is a leading food company with manufacturing sites across Ireland and the UK. The Group operates across three divisions: the Foods Division, Meat Division UK, and Meat Division Ireland. Guided by our values—Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food, and Teamwork—we are committed to operating as a successful, sustainable, future-ready business that is a great place to work. We supply fresh and value-added meat-based products to retail and foodservice through private label and our own brands, including Rustlers, Big Al's and John Stone.

Kepak Meat Division UK operates across 3 manufacturing sites with 2,000 employees, producing a range of quality meat and protein-based food products for retail and foodservice customers. The division focuses on providing exceptional service and value to our stakeholders.

Requirements

• Responsible for leading the primary production team in ensuring safe and efficient primary processing in line with customer, business, and regulatory objectives and standards.
• Leads the primary production team to meet production targets while maintaining product quality, cost-effectiveness and ensuring compliance with food safety and quality standards.
• Promotes a ‘safety-first culture’ across the production team ensuring full compliance and adherence to health and safety processes and standards.
• Leadership and accountability for abattoir and boning hall operations (people, process and product) and delivery of production in accordance with production plans and business priorities.
• Accountable for product quality control and adherence to agreed product specifications, maintaining consistent product standards by embedding quality and customer service processes in line with customer and food safety and quality standards.
• Prepares site boning hall plans in line with central planning requirements and actions delivery of the plan in line with plan attainment targets.
• Responsible for effective resource planning and labour costs in accordance with production forecasts and budget targets.

Role Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage production teams to ensure performance targets are achieved while maintaining workplace safety, team satisfaction, and wellbeing.
• Provide mentoring and coaching to promote a culture of continuous training and development across the production team.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration and liaise with HR, Health & Safety, IT, NPD, Food Safety, Supply Chain, and Engineering to deliver operational goals.
• Manage and participate in regular management routines, including pulse meetings, gemba walks, and weekly performance metrics.
• Work collaboratively with site HR to enhance employee relations and support the resolution of worker issues.
• In conjunction with HR, Food Safety, and Health & Safety teams, ensure full training compliance and the development and adherence to SOPs across production.
• Ensure compliance with business, regulatory, environmental, and sustainability requirements, while contributing operational insights to support commercial objectives.

Role Deliverables

• Compliance with food safety and industry standards across all production operations
• People & Performance metrics (training and development, engagement and retention)
• Health and Safety compliance
• Delivery of production targets including:
• Product quality standards
• Production yields to standard and in line with agreed specifications
• Plan attainment delivery to meet service level agreements
• Product dispatched On Time and in Full
• Dept cost and resource budget to target
• CI project development and delivery
• Provide accurate and timely reporting of KPIs, compliance status, and production metrics

Critical Interfaces

Internal: All site and support functions including HR, Engineering, NPD, Supply Chain & Logistics, IT.

External: All visitors to site including auditors, customers and regulatory bodies.

Benefits

• 31 days annual leave per year (after probation).
• 25% Discount in our Butcher Shop.
• Employee Discount Platform - All Kepak employees are entitled to access to the WrkIt platform, which offers significant discounts and cashback with hundreds of brands.
• Refer a Friend Scheme - Get up to £500 for successfully referring a friend or family member to Kepak Group.
• Free Car Parking - Our Kepak site has a dedicated staff car parking facility which is free to use for all of our colleagues.
• Subsidised Canteen - Our on site canteen is serving multiple hot food options during the day.
• Long Service Awards - We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees.
• Bike to Work Scheme - You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!
• Training and Development- we are committed to helping you grow in your career, from structured onboarding, regular training (online and in-person), and clear paths for career progression.
• GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program - Providing emotional, practical and financial support for all Kepak colleagues.