AVI Ltd. is a leader in South Africa’s consumer goods sector, renowned for its iconic household brands across hot beverages, biscuits, snacks, frozen foods, personal care, footwear, and fashion. Our subsidiary, National Brands Limited (NBL), operates five world-class manufacturing facilities in key locations including Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban, producing some of the country’s most beloved tea, coffee, and creamer brands, along with a delectable range of biscuits and snacks.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Production Team Leader to join our Rosslyn Snackworks Factory. This role requires expertise in safety management, people leadership, production planning, and labour cost management within a fast-paced FMCG environment. You will be responsible for ensuring production efficiency, safety compliance, and the overall quality of our output while leading your team to success.

Key Responsibilities:

Safety, Health, and Environment:

• Enforce correct PPE usage and compliance with safety protocols.
• Promote a strong safety culture, ensuring each shift has a designated SHE rep, first aider, and fire fighter.
• Conduct emergency evacuation drills and complete near-miss reports.
• Conduct weekly toolbox talks and ensure proper waste segregation and disposal.

Production Management:

• Lead production teams to meet daily shift targets as per SKU specifications.
• Ensure rapid response to equipment breakdowns and labour availability.
• Oversee pre-checks on machines and manage support departments to provide top service.
• Track hourly production output and monitor adherence to the production plan.
• Maintain high product quality standards and ensure first-time-right production.

Cost Control:

• Optimize labour management, including controlling overtime and absenteeism.
• Lead efforts to reduce waste, participate in troubleshooting, and manage start-up times.
• Plan for efficient changeovers, ensuring minimal downtime and smooth production transitions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance plant efficiency.

Quality and Food Safety:

• Ensure seamless maintenance handovers and proper storage of safety equipment and chemicals.
• Conduct daily equipment inspections and maintain high hygiene standards during production runs.
• Lead quality checks and empower operators to take ownership of their output.
• Ensure non-conforming products are addressed and corrected swiftly.

People Management:

• Lead and develop your team with a genuine concern for their growth and well-being.
• Provide ongoing training, coaching, and development using IDP and Skills Matrix frameworks.
• Ensure team members are multi-skilled and well-equipped to meet operational demands.
• Offer recognition, reward, and constructive feedback, while holding individuals accountable for their performance.
• Foster a culture of innovation by encouraging team suggestions and ideas.
  

Minimum Requirements:

Experience:

• 4+ years of experience in production within the Food manufacturing industry.
• 1-2 years of supervisory experience in a complex manufacturing structure.

Qualifications:

• Tertiary qualification in Production Management, Operations Management, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial or Chemical Engineering qualification.

Additional requirements:

• Proficiency in Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), such as Shopware, SAP.
• Strong knowledge of the MS Office suite.
• Excellent analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.