Area Manager (FMCG Manufacturing)

TL;DR

Area Manager (FMCG Manufacturing): Lead cross-functional manufacturing teams to deliver production safely, to specification, on time and within cost with an accent on health & safety, standards compliance, and performance. Focus on driving continuous improvement, developing people, and managing shop floor operations.

Location: Teesside manufacturing site, North East UK (onsite, hands-on shop floor leadership)

Company

Large FMCG manufacturing site in Teesside.

What you will do

• Lead manufacturing and engineering support teams on shift
• Own health & safety performance, incident investigation, and compliance
• Ensure GMP, BRC, and ISO standards are maintained
• Deliver production targets for safety, quality, service, and cost
• Drive continuous improvement and lean ways of working
• Develop and coach team leaders, operators, and technicians
• Manage labour, materials, and inventory in line with production plan
• Work with engineering to reduce downtime and improve reliability

Requirements

• Degree qualified or equivalent manufacturing experience
• At least 5 years’ experience in manufacturing environment
• FMCG or high-volume, regulated industry background
• Strong people leader with experience managing cross-functional teams
• Good working knowledge of lean manufacturing and CI tools
• Confident decision-maker with strong problem-solving skills

Nice to have

• People-focused, visible, and standards-driven attributes
• Proactive, resilient, and solutions-orientated mindset

Culture & Benefits

• Senior leadership role with real accountability and influence
• Clear progression opportunities in a structured business
• Long-term, stable opportunity in a safety-led environment