Production Manager

Job Summary

The Production Manager will be required to have an entrepreneurial outlook, natural gravitas, self-initiative, and an ownership mindset as the driving forces to success and aligning  the team toward a unified vision of excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Excellence & KPI Delivery: Direct and oversee all daily production, laboratory, and product development activities to consistently achieve output, quality, and delivery KPIs. Accountable for managing departmental budgets, controlling costs (COGs), and optimizing the use and maintenance of all departmental assets.
2. Compliance & Quality Assurance: Serve as the subject matter expert and leader responsible for ensuring strict adherence to FSSC 22000 and all relevant safety, health, environmental, and certification standards. Accountable for the creation, currency, and validity of all departmental SOPs and work instructions.
3. Strategic Continuous Improvement: Apply and lead the implementation of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to drive process improvement, robust data analysis, and systematic problem-solving across production and development cycles.
4. Team Leadership & Talent Development: Translate strategic company objectives into clear departmental targets and actionable plans. Accountable for the full talent lifecycle, including recruiting, coaching, performance management (KPIs, PIPs), and developing a strong talent pipeline in full compliance with Tanzanian labor law.
5. Information Management & Reporting: Develop, manage, and ensure the integrity of Information Management Systems for tracking, analyzing, and reporting crucial data (calibration, test results, costs, etc.). Responsible for producing and presenting regular performance reports with analysis and strategic recommendations to senior management.

Required Skills & Experience

1. Bachelor's degree, preferably in Engineering, Agro-processing, Food Science, Manufacturing or related fields.
2. Minimum 5 years managing high-volume planning and production operations within the food, agro-processing, or related technical industries.
3. Regulatory & Quality Expert: Expert knowledge of local (Tanzanian/Ugandan) and international food laws, and deep applied experience with FSSC 22000 or equivalent food safety systems.
4. Operational Excellence: Demonstrated command of Lean methodologies, continuous improvement, and effective systematic problem-solving.
5. Systems Acumen & Analysis: Proficiency in leveraging ERP/CRM systems and applying strong analytical thinking to drive data-driven decision-making.
6. Stakeholder Management: Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills, fluent in both English and Kiswahili, with a commitment to social impact.