Line Shift Lead – Production

Balclutha | Permanent Full-Time

Join Danone and Make an Impact

At Danone, our mission is simple: bringing health through food to as many people as possible. As a global leader in specialised nutrition, we are committed to producing high-quality products that positively impact the health of our consumers and the planet. At our state-of-the-art Balclutha manufacturing facility, you'll be part of a team that values safety, quality, continuous improvement, and people development.

ABOUT THE ROLE – Te Tūranga Mahi

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Line Shift Lead to join our Production team in Balclutha.

As a Line Shift Lead, you will play a key leadership role on shift, coordinating a team of Equipment Owners to deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality production outcomes. You will be responsible for leading day-to-day manufacturing operations, driving continuous improvement initiatives, developing team capability, and ensuring Danone standards are consistently achieved.

You will also act as a technical leader within your production area, working closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, Safety, and Logistics teams to achieve operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate shift operations to achieve production, quality, safety, and performance targets.
• Coach, develop, and support a team of Equipment Owners to build capability and accountability.
• Champion a strong safety culture by proactively identifying hazards, reporting incidents, and driving corrective actions.
• Monitor production performance and implement improvements to reduce losses and optimise efficiency.
• Lead shift handovers and ensure effective communication across teams and departments.
• Support problem-solving activities, root cause investigations, and continuous improvement projects.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, and manufacturing standards.
• Maintain accurate production documentation, reporting, and performance tracking.
• Support maintenance planning and breakdown analysis to maximise equipment reliability.
• Promote Danone's values and foster a positive, engaged, and high-performing team culture.

ABOUT YOU – Mō Koe

You are a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and enjoys developing people while driving operational performance.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

Experience & Qualifications

• At least 3 years' experience in a manufacturing supervisory or team leadership role.
• Experience within dairy, food manufacturing, FMCG, or a similar processing environment is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices.
• A qualification relevant to manufacturing, engineering, food technology, or a related discipline is advantageous.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong leadership, coaching, and people development skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proven problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to analyse data and use insights to drive performance.
• Sound computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• A commitment to workplace safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple teams and functions.

ABOUT US – Mō Mātou

Danone ANZ focuses on dairy and specialised nutrition products for infants and adults and is proud to have been recognised as a Great Place to Work across Australia and New Zealand for multiple consecutive years.

Located near Balclutha in the South Otago region, our Nutricia spray drying facility uses world-class European technology to manufacture premium nutritional powders for consumers throughout New Zealand and around the world.

At Danone, we're passionate about helping our people grow. This role offers genuine opportunities for career development, leadership progression, and exposure to world-class manufacturing systems and practices.

Our Benefits – Ngā Painga

• Medical insurance fully funded for employees
• Free life insurance
• Annual bonus opportunity
• 4% KiwiSaver employer contribution
• Employee Share Subscription Plan
• 26 weeks gender-neutral paid parental leave
• Free annual health checks and flu vaccinations
• Product discounts and retailer discount programme
• Gym and café discounts
• Fresh fruit provided daily
• Ongoing learning and career development opportunities

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Danone, we believe that different perspectives make us stronger. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work.

Ready to Apply?

If you're an experienced operational leader looking for your next challenge and want to be part of a company making a positive impact on millions of lives, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now by submitting your CV and cover letter.

No recruitment agencies, please.