Shift Manager – Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

The Opportunity

We're recruiting for an experienced Shift Manager to join a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer operating within a highly regulated GMP environment.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced production leader to oversee manufacturing operations during shift, ensuring products are manufactured safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards. You'll lead a team across multiple manufacturing areas, driving operational excellence, continuous improvement and team development.

Key Responsibilities

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture, ensuring full compliance with Health, Safety and Environmental requirements.

• Ensure manufacturing activities are completed in accordance with GMP and regulatory standards.

• Maintain an audit-ready manufacturing environment at all times.

• Work closely with Quality to investigate and resolve deviations, implement corrective actions and drive compliance improvements.

Production Operations

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing activities, ensuring production plans are delivered safely, on time and in full.

• Coordinate labour, equipment and operational resources to maximise efficiency and minimise downtime.

• Monitor production performance and respond quickly to operational issues.

• Ensure accurate completion and review of manufacturing documentation.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement initiatives.

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality, efficiency and waste reduction.

• Monitor manufacturing KPIs and use performance data to support decision making and operational improvements.

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Team Leaders and Manufacturing Operators.

• Create a positive, accountable and high-performing team culture.

• Conduct performance reviews, identify development opportunities and support succession planning.

• Manage employee relations matters professionally and effectively.

Operational & Supply Performance

• Work collaboratively with Quality, Engineering and Supply Chain to ensure uninterrupted manufacturing operations.

• Support effective resource planning and material availability to meet production schedules.

• Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining quality, safety and compliance standards.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a proactive manufacturing leader with experience managing teams within a regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience within pharmaceutical manufacturing.

• Previous leadership experience managing production or manufacturing teams.

• Experience leading teams of 10+ people.

• Strong understanding of GMP and quality management systems.

• Experience investigating deviations and implementing CAPAs and root cause analysis.

• Demonstrated success delivering production targets and operational KPIs.

• Experience driving continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within sterile or aseptic pharmaceutical manufacturing.

• Experience managing manufacturing performance, resource planning and cost control.

• Degree or equivalent qualification in a scientific, engineering or manufacturing discipline.

About You

You'll be an engaging and visible leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You'll enjoy developing people, solving operational challenges and driving high standards across safety, quality and production.

Strong communication skills, sound decision-making and the ability to lead through change are essential.

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to join an established pharmaceutical manufacturer where you'll play a key role in leading manufacturing operations, developing teams and driving continuous improvement within a modern GMP production environment.