Production Manager, food industry
Food industry
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Bucharest
Food industry
THE COMPANY
Our client is an established player in the food manufacturing industry, preparing to launch a new, state-of-the-art production facility in Romania. Known for its innovation, product excellence, and strong focus on safety, the company is now building a team of dedicated professionals to shape and launch this new site.
They are seeking a hands-on and experienced Production Manager to oversee all production activities, from initial setup to full operational scale, ensuring that quality, efficiency, and food safety standards are met from day one.
THE ROLE
As Production Manager, you will play a key role in designing, implementing, and running the production operations of this new facility. You will play a critical role in shaping the factory’s operational setup, working alongside an expert team to ensure everything from technology flows to team readiness is in place for a successful launch.
As Production Manager, you will lead the entire production department, managing around 50 people, and driving performance across safety, quality, costs, and efficiency.
Key Responsibilities:
- Factory Setup & Launch: Participate actively in designing the production flow, installing equipment, and preparing the facility for operational launch.
- Production Operations: Lead day-to-day production activities, ensuring safety, quality, and cost targets are met.
- Food Safety & Certification: Oversee preparation for HACCP, IFS, and BRC certification; ensure full compliance with food safety regulations.
- Production Planning & Execution: Translate production strategies into operational plans and effectively engage the team in their delivery.
- Maintenance & Continuous Improvement: Work with technical teams to implement maintenance programs and lean manufacturing principles to enhance performance.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Coordinate with planning, quality, technical, R&D, and supply chain teams to meet business objectives.
- Team Leadership: Recruit, train, and coach a production team of ~50 employees, fostering a high-performance and safety-driven culture.
- Reporting & KPIs: Define and monitor key performance indicators, implement ERP/MES modules, and report regularly on progress and results.
THE CANDIDATE
We are looking for an experienced and energetic Production Manager with a solid background in food manufacturing, preferably in high-volume, automated environments. The ideal candidate is a solution-oriented leader, comfortable in a start-up setting, who thrives on challenges and can motivate teams to achieve ambitious goals.
Requirements:
- Experience: 7–10 years in production management, preferably in food, cold chain, or beverage sectors.
- Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or a technical field.
- Leadership & Team Management: Proven experience managing production teams of 50+ employees, with excellent motivational and coaching abilities.
- Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of production processes, automation systems, equipment maintenance, ERP/MES, and continuous improvement (lean, Six Sigma).
- Food Safety & Quality: Hands-on experience with food safety systems and certifications (HACCP, IFS, BRC).
- Analytical & Strategic Skills: Strong planning, organizational, and problem-solving abilities, with a balance of operational focus and strategic thinking.
- Languages: Fluency in Romanian and English (written and spoken).
- Personality: Disciplined, detail-oriented, proactive, adaptable, and eager to contribute to the success of a major start-up.
WHY JOIN:
This is a rare opportunity to help shape one of East Europe’s most innovative food manufacturing projects, from the ground up. You will be part of a visionary company that values innovation, quality, and sustainability, and you will have the autonomy to make a real impact on production processes, team culture, and long-term success.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates should apply with their updated CV, highlighting relevant experience and skills.
If, this opportunity does not interest you, but you would like to recommend a member of your professional network who might have the right profile and a potential interest in pursuing it, please don’t hesitate to forward them this ad or directly send us their coordinates.
Please consider that only the suitable candidates will be contacted for interview, but we appreciate everyone’s interest in our projects and would like to keep in touch for future projects.
Pendl & Piswanger offers HR and management advisory services in the last 40 years in CEE. As members of InterSearch, a worldwide executive search firm with more than 100 offices in 50 countries, we are amongst the top search firms globally and operate across all major industry sectors. We are experienced, innovative, and totally committed to our clients who gain competitive advantage by hiring great people. For more information, please visit www.ro.intersearch.org.