Head of Production Germany (m/f/d)

Role description

As Head of Production Germany, you own the day-to-day performance and the continuous development of our German manufacturing site — the place where most of our flavours are actually made. You lead a multi-shift production organization in a demanding food-grade environment with a broad product portfolio, frequent changeovers, and high quality and traceability requirements. Your mission: a safe, reliable, and efficient factory that delivers on time every day. The ideal candidate combines strategic vision with hands-on operational experience and has a proven track record in scaling manufacturing capabilities in a dynamic environment.

Your Mission

• Lead and develop the site's production organization through your shift leaders and team leads in the different operational areas (production planning, manufacturing, manufacturing logistics, warehousing).
• Create an environment where safety behavior, hygiene discipline, and quality awareness are non-negotiable and where people strive to be their best.
• Maintain a strong presence on the shopfloor, ensuring issues are identified and solved at the right level. Enable effective communication and collaboration across shifts and departments.

• Lead Production Planning & Execution in close collaboration with Supply Chain, ensuring on-time delivery and optimal resource utilization.
• Own the site's operational results (OTIF, lead-times, conversion costs, etc.) and implement lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives to boost efficiency and reduce waste.
• Escalate and resolve bottlenecks before customers feel them and shape the site's capacity, automation, and investment agenda together with the global Engineering function.

• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements (including handling of flammable and sensitizing materials (ATEX, hazardous substances).
• Guarantee product integrity and batch traceability as well as permanent audit readiness (FSSC 22000 / IFS, GMP, HACCP, customer and authority audits).
• Partner with the independent Quality function on deviations, CAPAs, and release topics.

Minimum Qualifications

• Degree in Food Technology, Process/Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a comparable qualification.
• 7+ years of production leadership in a flavour, fine chemical environment, or food environment including multi-shift responsibility.
• Hands-on experience with the specificities of flavour manufacturing: batch production, quality standards (FSSC 22000 / IFS, GMP, HACCP), chemical materials handling (ATEX/hazardous) allergen management, cleaning regimes and high product variety.
• Solid grounding in lean methods and daily management systems.
• A leadership style that combines closeness to the team with clear standards and strong communication skills from team member to executive level.
• Fluent German (shopfloor language) and good English (global collaboration).

Preferred Qualifications

Why you'll love working here

• Exciting tasks in an internationally operating, growing family business with flat hierarchies
• Flexible working hours and 30 days paid vacation per year
• Salary bands for a fair corporate culture
• Monthly allowance of €50 for your BAV
• Annual 360° feedback loops with clear promotion criteria and an individual career path
• Responsibility from day one in a company that encourages personal responsibility and growth
• Relocation costs can be reimbursed on a pro rata basis
• Regular company events such as summer party, Christmas party
• Paid team dinners or activities for each team twice a year
• Free parking right outside the door
• Perks and benefits: JobRad, subsidized lunch, subsidy for the Deutschlandticket, free language courses and discounted memberships at several gyms and for the Wellpass
• Fresh fruit, free drinks and snacks in the office

Our Process

• Initial Screening with a recruiter
• Technical interview
• Challenge onsite

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