About Kerry
Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.
Our Safety purpose "we work together in a caring culture where everybody goes home safe every day". We are committed to providing a safe working environment and ensuring that all safety protocols are strictly followed. Join us in creating a workplace where safety is everyone's responsibility.
About the role
We are recruiting a Production Manager to complete the leadership team at our Taste & Nutrition manufacturing facility in Mozzo. This site is a key part of Kerry's global network, specializing in the creation of flavor ingredients that support the food and beverage industries. This role will lead a production team of around 80 people, overseeing day-to-day manufacturing activities while driving safety, quality and performance standards. The Production Manager will play a central role in optimizing operational efficiency, developing talent, and fostering collaboration across departments such as Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, and R&D. This is a great opportunity to bring a 360-degree vision to site operations and contribute to strategic growth.
It is a permanent, full-time, and on-site role.
What you'll be doing?
Reporting to the plan manager, your main responsibilities are
1/Production & process optimization
- Ensure products are manufactured according to customer procedures and specifications, aligned with the Production Plan and Kerry's quality standards. Continuously enhance production efficiency by minimizing setup and downtime, reducing waste and cycle times, lowering production costs, and optimizing workforce utilization.
- Oversee equipment maintenance and repair to ensure operational reliability.
2/ Defect analysis & quality assurance
- Analyse defective products to identify root causes. Implement corrective and preventive actions to avoid recurrence.
3/ Workforce organization & planning
- Design optimal team structures (operators, supervisors, team leaders) to enhance cost efficiency and flexibility.
- Plan workforce capacity to meet production demands, balancing permanent and temporary staffing needs.
4/ Hiring & development
- Recruit talent based on defined job descriptions.
- Develop robust training plans to ensure employee competence and growth.
5/ Environment, health & safety
- Foster a safety-first and environmentally responsible culture by conducting risk assessments, enforcing safety protocols, mitigating environmental risks, and ensuring full compliance with relevant regulations.
Qualifications and skills
1. University degree, preferably in Engineering or a related field.
2. Proven experience in production management within the food, chemical, or pharmaceutical industry.
3. Familiarity with key production technologies such as atomization, homogenization, and related processes.
4. Strong leadership and team-building skills, with effective communication abilities and a proven capacity to motivate teams toward achieving results.
5. Safety-oriented mindset with a proactive approach to risk prevention.
6. Fluency in Italian and a good command of English (both written and spoken).
7. Solid understanding of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement (CI) principles.
8. Working knowledge of ERP systems and digital production tools.