Reporting to: Factory Manager

Location: Johannesburg

About the Libstar Wet Condiments Category

The Wet Condiments Category is part of the Libstar Ambient Products Category, with business sites located in Montagu, Cape Town, and Johannesburg. We operate within a dynamic, forward-thinking organization dedicated to driving innovation, fostering growth, and creating a supportive, inclusive work environment. As part of the broader Libstar team, our goal is to grow our food brands and category solutions in a sustainable and profitable manner. We prioritize building strong relationships with our customers and aim to be South Africa’s leading producer and distributor of high-quality products and brands. To achieve this, we believe that our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to investing in their development and well-being.

Purpose of the Role

WCC is a leading FMCG manufacturer within the Libstar Wet Condiments Category, producing high-quality food products for customers across South Africa. Based in Johannesburg, the site operates in a fast-paced manufacturing environment where safety, quality, efficiency, and reliable delivery are critical to success. We are seeking a hands-on and experienced Production Manager to lead daily production activities, drive performance on the factory floor, and support continuous improvement across the operation.

As Production Manager, you will be responsible for leading production teams, executing production plans, managing output against agreed targets, and ensuring that manufacturing processes meet food safety, quality, cost, waste, and safety standards. Reporting to the Factory Manager, you will work closely with Maintenance, Quality, Logistics, Procurement, SHE, and Planning teams to ensure stable production flow, effective resource utilisation, and consistent delivery to customer requirements.

This role requires a visible, practical leader who can build discipline, accountability, and teamwork on the factory floor while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, strengthen employee capability, and maintain a safe, compliant, and high-performing production environment.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Execution

• Execute daily and weekly production plans to achieve output, quality, cost, waste, and delivery targets.
• Monitor production performance throughout each shift and take corrective action where targets, standards, or timelines are at risk.

People Leadership & Factory Floor Management

• Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors, team leaders, operators, and general workers to build a disciplined, engaged, and accountable team.
• Ensure effective shift handovers, clear communication, appropriate manning levels, and consistent adherence to standard operating procedures.

Quality, Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all production activities comply with food safety, quality, hygiene, housekeeping, and traceability requirements.
• Work closely with Quality and SHE teams to address non-conformances, audit findings, customer complaints, and corrective actions.

Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Track key production indicators, including yield, waste, downtime, labour efficiency, and line performance.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement practical improvement initiatives to enhance productivity, reduce losses, and improve process stability.

Maintenance & Asset Reliability Support

• Partner with Maintenance to manage breakdown response, planned maintenance windows, equipment care, and line readiness.
• Ensure production teams follow start-up, changeover, cleaning, inspection, and basic equipment care routines.

Health, Safety & Environmental Standards

• Promote a safe working environment by ensuring compliance with safety procedures, risk controls, incident reporting, and corrective actions.
• Drive housekeeping, hygiene, and waste-management discipline across all production areas.

Reporting & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Prepare and present production reports, performance updates, and action plans to relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Planning, Logistics, Procurement, Quality, Maintenance, and NPD to support effective factory execution and customer service.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong production leadership with the ability to manage teams in a fast-paced FMCG manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on, visible, and practical leadership style with a strong factory-floor presence.
• Results-driven, disciplined, and accountable, with a strong focus on safety, quality, delivery, waste, and efficiency.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strong problem-solving ability with a practical continuous-improvement mindset.
• Organised and systematic, with the ability to prioritise production demands and respond effectively under pressure.
• Analytical and data-driven, with the ability to interpret production information and translate it into corrective action.

Qualifications & Experience

• Relevant Degree or Diploma in Production Management, Operations Management, Food Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 5–8 years’ experience in FMCG or food manufacturing, with at least 3 years in a production leadership or production management role.
• Solid understanding of food manufacturing processes, line management, production planning, OEE, yield, waste reduction, and process control.
• Experience managing production teams across shifts in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of food safety, hygiene, quality, health and safety, and environmental requirements.
• Experience with SOP implementation, root-cause analysis, performance reporting, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office; experience with ERP, production reporting, or manufacturing systems will be advantageous.
• Ability to work independently, make timely operational decisions, and maintain effective relationships across departments.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a leading FMCG business driving innovation and efficiency.
• Work in a collaborative environment that values growth and excellence.

Application

Please email your CV (with references) and a motivation letter to francene.koopman@libstar.co.za by 21 August 2026.
Please include the position title in the email subject line.
If you have not received a response within four weeks of the closing date, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

Please note that you may on occasion be required to perform tasks that are not part of your normal daily duties but may be necessary due to the operational requirements of the Company.

NOTE: To consider any application for employment, we will have to process your personal information. The Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), provides that when one processes another’s personal information, such collection, retention, dissemination and use of that person’s personal information must be done in a lawful and transparent manner.

To give effect to the above, we are required to provide you with information regarding the processing of your personal information. This information is recorded under the HR Processing Notice, which can be accessed and viewed on the Company website at https://www.libstar.co.za/legal/.