Leicester | £45,000–£46,000 + 23.5% Shift Allowance | £55,575–£56,810 + 7.5% Bonus
12-hour continental shifts: 4 days on, 4 off, 4 nights on, 4 off
Are you an experienced leader who enjoys taking ownership, developing people and making decisions in a fast-paced, complex environment?
Perhaps you've always wanted to move into food manufacturing but haven't been given the opportunity because your experience has been gained in another industry.
This could be that opportunity.
We're recruiting a Production Shift Manager to join a global leader in food and snack manufacturing at its largest UK manufacturing facility in Leicester. It's a large-scale, fast-paced operation with significant investment, genuine career opportunities and the chance to build your career within a global manufacturing business.
The Role
You'll lead a frontline team of approximately 40–60 people, taking responsibility for safety, quality, people and operational performance.
People leadership is at the heart of the role. You'll coach and develop your team, manage performance, set clear expectations and create an environment where people are empowered to perform at their best.
You'll also have real autonomy. Particularly when working nights, you'll need the confidence to solve problems and make sound decisions without always having senior leadership immediately available.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading, coaching and developing a team of 40–60 people.
Championing safety, quality, GMP and operational standards.
Managing attendance, performance and conduct.
Developing team capability through coaching and meaningful 1-to-1s.
Using data and structured problem-solving to improve performance.
Taking ownership and making effective decisions in complex or ambiguous situations.
Working with operational leaders to drive continuous improvement.
What We're Looking For
You don't need to come from food manufacturing to succeed here.
We're particularly interested in experienced leaders who have wanted to move into food or FMCG manufacturing but haven't previously been given the opportunity.
We're keen to hear from military personnel transitioning into industry, military veterans and leaders from non-food manufacturing environments, including automotive, aerospace, engineering, process and heavy manufacturing.
You'll need at least three years' experience directly managing frontline teams and the ability to demonstrate:
Strong people leadership, coaching and performance management.
Experience leading within a complex operational environment.
The confidence to take ownership and make decisions under pressure.
The ability to work effectively with ambiguity and limited information.
Strong communication and organisational skills.
Experience using operational data to solve problems and improve performance.
Food or FMCG experience is welcomed, but it isn't essential.
Bring us your leadership experience – we'll give you the opportunity to apply it in a world-class food manufacturing environment.
Why Join?
You'll be joining the business's largest UK manufacturing facility, employing approximately 1,000 people and benefiting from around £60 million of investment in 2026 alone.
There are genuine opportunities to develop your career within a global organisation, with approximately 60% of recruitment taking place internally and opportunities for both progression and lateral career moves.
Salary & Benefits
£45,000–£46,000 basic salary
23.5% shift allowance – total £55,575–£56,810
7.5% annual bonus
Private healthcare, with family options through salary sacrifice
Pension with up to 10% company contribution
Career development and internal progression
If this sounds like the kind of Production Shift Manager role you have been looking for, apply now or contact Ruth or Stuart at Wagstaff for a confidential conversation.
Wagstaff Recruitment & Career Coaching
Building Trusted Relationships to Create Great Opportunities since 2010
Salary description
£55000.00 - £57000.00 per year