Production Manager - Chocolate Manufacturing

The Production Manager will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and controlling chocolate manufacturing processes to ensure products are produced efficiently, safely, on time, and to the highest quality standards. The role requires hands-on chocolate production experience and strong leadership to manage teams, optimise processes, and meet operational targets. · Manage and oversee daily chocolate production operations, including moulding, enrobing, tempering, cooling, and packaging processes. · Plan and schedule production to meet customer demand, sales forecasts, and delivery deadlines. · Ensure compliance with food safety standards, including HACCP, GMP, and relevant South African food safety regulations. · Monitor production performance, yields, wastage, and downtime, and implement continuous improvement initiatives. · Lead, train, and motivate production teams to achieve productivity, quality, and safety targets. · Collaborate with Quality Assurance, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and R&D teams to ensure smooth operations. · Ensure equipment is maintained and production issues are identified and resolved timeously. · Manage raw material usage, stock levels, and production costs to minimise waste and optimise efficiency. · Enforce health, safety, and hygiene standards across the production environment. · Prepare production reports and provide regular feedback to senior management. Requirements · Grade 12 · Diploma or Degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. · Minimum of 5–7 years’ experience in a food manufacturing environment, with direct chocolate production experience. · Proven experience managing production teams in a factory setting. · Strong understanding of chocolate manufacturing processes and quality standards. · Knowledge of South African food safety legislation and industry best practices. · Solid problem-solving, planning, and organisational skills. · Proficiency in production planning systems and MS Office.