Production Line Lead

Job Description Lead the Line. Drive Performance. Build Capability. We're looking for an experienced Production Line Lead to join our Blending & Canning team. This pivotal leadership role requires leading a high‑performing production team, delivering operational excellence, and ensuring our products are manufactured safely, efficiently and meet the highest quality standards. Success in this role is about more than keeping the line running. You'll balance people leadership with commercial outcomes, using data, continuous improvement and strong operational discipline to drive safety, quality, cost, delivery and performance. If you enjoy coaching teams, solving problems and making a measurable impact every day, we'd love to hear from you. Responsibilities Lead and develop a team of operators to create a safe, engaged and high‑performing culture. Drive operational performance across safety, quality, productivity, yield and cost. Champion continuous improvement through IWS, daily management systems and problem‑solving methodologies. Take ownership of product quality, compliance and audit readiness while ensuring GMP and HACCP standards are consistently met. Spend time on the production floor coaching, developing capability and embedding standard work. Collaborate with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering and Planning teams to optimise plant performance and minimise downtime. Provide on‑call support as required to ensure reliable plant operations. Use operational data and performance insights to identify opportunities, improve efficiency and deliver sustainable business results. Qualifications You’re a confident people leader who thrives in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment. You combine strong operational expertise with commercial thinking, understanding how decisions on the production floor influence safety, quality, customer outcomes and business performance. Proven leadership experience within dairy, food, beverage or another complex manufacturing environment. A track record of improving operational performance through coaching, team engagement and continuous improvement. Strong commercial acumen, with an understanding of productivity, cost, waste reduction and operational efficiency. Experience working with Lean Manufacturing, IWS, TPM, Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement frameworks. A sound understanding of GMP, HACCP and food safety systems. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to make informed decisions under pressure. Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and build strong cross‑functional relationships. A genuine passion for developing people and creating a culture where teams can perform at their best. Benefits Health insurance cover & partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy B Corp™ certified Social Club membership opportunities Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand. #J-18808-Ljbffr