Plant Manager at Synlait External Careers Site

Rakaia, Canterbury, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

18 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

20 Mar, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Operational Excellence, People Leadership, Safety Management, Quality Control, Delivery Management, Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Food Safety Compliance, Cost Control, Yield Optimisation, P&L Performance, Dairy Processing, 24/7 Operations, HACCP, Team Coaching

Industry

Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Description

About the role We’re on the lookout for an experienced Plant Manager to lead our Wetmix operations. This senior leadership role sits at the heart of site’s operation, overseeing the Milk Reception, Treatment, Standardising and Nutritional Mixing operations. This role is instrumental in driving operational excellence and delivering on Synlait’s manufacturing strategy. You’ll lead a large, complex 24/7 processing environment, accountable for people, safety, quality, and delivery. As a key member of the site leadership team, you will shape performance, drive continuous improvement, and collaborate across all areas of the operation. Why this role? This is more than just a plant leadership role — it’s an opportunity to be at the centre of site operations, influencing outcomes across the entire business. You’ll have the chance to: * Shape operational direction as part of the site leadership team. * Lead a high-visibility function that influences the full manufacturing process. * Drive improvements in performance, capability, and culture. * Grow your leadership experience in a large, complex environment with clear pathways for progression. Key responsibilities of this role include.. * Lead the Wetmix processing function, covering raw milk reception through to batching. * Own and drive performance across key indicators including safety, quality, people, cost, and delivery. * Manage milk movements and processing flow across the site to optimise efficiency and output. * Lead, coach, and care for a large team, building a high-performing and engaged culture. * Drive operational excellence through Integrated Work Systems (IWS), Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives. * Ensure compliance with food safety, regulatory, and quality standards, particularly within infant formula production environments. * Contribute to site-wide strategy and performance as part of the leadership team. * Deliver strong commercial outcomes, including cost control, yield optimisation, and P&L performance. About you You’re a seasoned manufacturing leader who thrives in complex dairy or food processing environments. You bring strong technical capability, commercial acumen and a proven ability to lead large teams to deliver results. * Ideally, you will have 5+ years’ experience in liquid dairy processing within a medium-to-large organisation. We also welcome applications with experience across multiple dairy plant environments or food manufacturing. * 5+ years’ experience leading and developing high-performing teams in a manufacturing setting. * Strong technical understanding of liquid processing operations, equipment, and dairy processing principles. * Demonstrated experience leading 24/7 operations in a complex manufacturing environment. * A track record of accelerating IWS / Lean / continuous improvement execution. * Proven success in exceeding performance targets and driving improvements in operational efficiency. * Experience implementing strategies that deliver cost savings, productivity gains, and streamlined workflows. * Strong knowledge of food safety systems, HACCP, and regulatory compliance, with a commitment to maintaining the highest standards. About us – The Synlait Spirit Synlait is more than a global leader in milk nutrition – we're a purpose-led team that’s Doing Milk Differently For A Healthier World. Our Synlait Spirit guides everything we do, from how we show up each day to the impact we create together. You’ll be joining an authentic, down-to-earth team that lives the three values that underpin the Synlait Spirit. Be The Difference means we understand before we act – that means asking why, supporting each other to think differently, stay curious, and continuously look for smarter ways to deliver value. Whether it’s in the paddock, the plant or the boardroom, we’re driven by impact and inspired to make a meaningful difference every day. We Move as One by working together with respect, trust and a shared commitment to doing what’s right. We collaborate across teams to deliver innovative solutions and create opportunity for those around us. We feed the world’s most vulnerable, including newborn babies, so we have to be Right on the Mark. That means we take accountability seriously, act with courage and focus our energy on what matters most. We combine expert farming and state of the art processing to deliver high quality nutritional products to all over the world. At Synlait you’ll be challenged and supported to grow. We know everyone brings something unique to the table so we’re an inclusive workplace, where diverse perspectives fuel innovation and success. What we offer: * Health insurance cover & partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts * Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy * B CorpTM certified * Social Club membership opportunities What's next? Apply now! Include your most recent CV and cover letter summarising your abilities and what you can bring to Synlait. We wish you the best of luck in your application. We encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications regularly and may close the advertisement early. Together we will continue to create a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best. Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand. #LI-KT1

Responsibilities

The Plant Manager will lead the Wetmix processing function, managing operations from raw milk reception through batching, while owning and driving performance across key indicators like safety, quality, cost, and delivery. This role involves leading, coaching, and caring for a large team to build an engaged culture and driving operational excellence using methodologies like IWS and Lean Manufacturing.