Food Production Manager

Kepak Group is an Irish company and one of Europe’s leading meat processors, employing over 5,000 people. Kepak has 16 sites throughout Ireland and the UK with sales offices in Europe, the US, Asia and Africa. The group processes and markets a broad range of fresh and value added meat products serving the international foodservice and retail markets.

Join the dynamic team at Kepak Cork as a Food Service Manager! In this pivotal role, reporting directly to the Retail Site Manager, you will take charge of overseeing the safe and efficient production processes within our foodservice department. Your leadership will ensure we consistently meet and exceed customer and business expectations while upholding the highest food safety and quality standards.

This is a fantastic chance to advance your career in a thriving company and collaborate with some of our most valued customers.

Responsibilities

Food Service Management:

• Ownership of the daily production schedule across Foodservice operations ensuring adherence to the production plan
• Own, prepare and distribute work orders and coordinate changeovers, labour allocation and materials to achieve required throughput

Operational Excellence

• In conjunction with the site CI manager, lead continuous improvement initiatives across foodservice operations to reduce waste and drive process improvement

Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance

• Accountable for compliance with HACCP, BRCGS and customer codes; zero critical/major non-conformances.

Budget & Resource Planning

• Monitors foodservice department budget in line with budget targets including and labour and materials

Foodservice Planning & Service Levels

• Liaise with planning on customer demand plan and ensure work orders are aligned with customer order schedule

Foodservice Performance

• Monitor yield, waste, labour productivity and throughput; publish KPIs daily and review exceptions with production team

Quality Control

• Oversee butchery quality and specifications and ensure all product packed meets defined specifications and customer expectations; right-first-time

External Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage site engagement with external stakeholders, including customers and suppliers and build positive relationships to promote Kepak reputation as best-in-class food manufacturing operation

Requirements:
• Proven experience leading food service or food manufacturing operations in a high-volume environment.
• Butchery qualification and demonstrated practical butchery experience is highly beneficial
• Knowledge of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and food safety protocols, quality assurance and industry standards
• Demonstrated capability to lead teams (supervisors & operators), set targets and manage operational performance
• Knowledge of and experience in Lean and Op Ex manufacturing practices

Benefits:
• Company Pension
• Paid Maternity Leave
• Subsidized Canteen

• Further Education support - You’ll have clear pathways for advancement, supported by continuous professional development and a range of learning opportunities
• 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.
• Bike to Work Scheme - Purchase a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!
• Long Service Awards - We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees

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