Position: Duty Manager/Department Manager
Role & Responsibilities
Relationships:
- Report to: Operations Manager
- Responsible for: Running production processes and continuous improvement initiatives
- Liaison with: All departments throughout Donnelly Fresh Foods: QA, Maintenance, Planning, HR, Projects team.
Summary:
The primary purpose of this role is to take full responsibility of the day-to-day production process within the allocated areas. This includes not only ensuring alignment with BRC, Quality & Food Safety Standards, Health & Safety, and customer codes of practice, but also embedding Lean Manufacturing principles, driving innovation, and cultivating a high-performance culture.
The role involves leading and empowering teams to meet and exceed operational KPIs, delivering strategic improvement projects, and fostering continuous improvement through proactive leadership.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Operational Excellence & Compliance
- Ensure food safety, health & safety, and hygiene standards are upheld in line with BRC, customer codes of practice, and legal requirements.
- Lead daily operations using Lean Manufacturing tools (5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping) to reduce waste and optimise productivity.
- Ensure all operational performance metrics are achieved, including yield, quality, customer service levels, and efficiency.
- Ensure all standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions (WI) are accurate, current, and effectively implemented.
Project & Change Management
- Lead cross-functional improvement projects focused on efficiency, waste reduction, layout optimisation, and quality enhancement.
- Track and report project milestones, outcomes, and ROI to senior management.
- Actively participate in strategic planning and project prioritisation in collaboration with the NPD, Operations, and Project teams.
Team Leadership & Development
- Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning within the team.
- Support and mentor staff to improve skills and performance through regular coaching and development reviews.
- Facilitate daily huddles and performance reviews using visual management boards.
- Manage staffing plans, shift patterns, and roster alignment with production needs.
Innovation & Culture Building
- Encourage team-driven innovation and “bottom-up” problem-solving through suggestion schemes and improvement initiatives.
- Lead by example in promoting a workplace culture grounded in respect, inclusivity, open communication, and continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with HR and senior leaders to enhance employee engagement, wellbeing, and retention.
- Champion the adoption of new technologies, processes, or systems that improve operational performance or sustainability.
Communication & Coordination
- Conduct thorough shift handovers with detailed information regarding planning, quality, stock, and staffing.
- Liaise closely with QA, Maintenance, and other departments to maintain smooth operational flow.
- Ensure any non-conformances (NCRs) are addressed, root causes identified, and corrective actions implemented in a timely manner.
- Maintain accurate and timely reporting on KPIs and shift performance metrics.
- Communicate any issues with machinery, equipment, health & safety to the Operations Manager, QA department or the Maintenance team.
- To maintain effective consultation/ communication with the management team.
Training & Compliance
- Oversee onboarding and cross-training of staff within the department to ensure workforce flexibility.
- Ensure coverage for your responsibilities through the proper training of deputies or backups.
- Stay current on legislative and industry best practices; share relevant updates with the team.
- Ensure food safety, health & safety & hygiene requirements are always implemented & maintained as per BRC requirements, customer standards/codes of practice & current legislation.
- Proactively contribute to ongoing efforts to improve production efficiencies.
- Drive the Implementation of improvement projects, facilitating and monitoring improvement initiatives.
- Ensure all operational performance measures are met, which include productivity, stock control, quality, yield level, customer service level, waste efficiency and safety.
- Ensure all reporting documentation is fully completed in detail and ready for reporting to management and provided to relevant departments.
- Conduct audits with internal and external parties for your allocated area, this is including EHO, Customer & BRC Audits/Inspections
- Carry out a comprehensive shift handover, ensuring all information is provided to the department/duty manager in relation to planning, stock shortages, staff issues and other issues that will affect production.
- Working closely with relevant departments within the business to ensure the smooth running of production and KPI deliverables.
- To manage & control roster, staff levels, operators’ working hours, and efficiency of all operations in the area.
- Create and amend SOPs as required.
- Ensure all staff are correctly trained as per the WI and SOP before starting their position, ensure WI & SOP are up to date & signed off at all times.
- Ensure all staff are trained to work on all products in their given area.
- Back up Training – Ensure the day-to-day running is covered on your rest days and holidays, you will be responsible for the training of the person covering your position.
- Promoting a positive workplace culture based on safety, good communication, wellbeing, equality, respect, honesty and integrity.
- Overall management of employees, performance reviews, training & development, attendance management, absenteeism management all in consultation with the HR department
- To manage, maintain & oversee G.M.P in your given area.
- To ensure any NCR’s are managed & closed off in a timely fashion.
- Actively participate in any training for personal and professional development.
- To carry out any additional tasks as required for the business.
Additional Duties
- Attend all required meetings and actively contribute to operational and strategic discussions.
- Promote company values in all duties, internal collaboration, and external representation.
- Remain open to innovation by continuously identifying improvement opportunities in process, product, or systems.
Email careers@donnellyfresh.ie