Shift Manufacturing Manager

Shift Manager

Ely

At DS Smith, we are looking for an experienced and driven Shift Manager to join our manufacturing site in Ely.

This is a pivotal leadership role where you will take full responsibility for both people and operational performance on shift — ensuring the site runs safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards. You will lead, coach and develop your team to deliver against KPIs while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and collaboration across the wider DS Smith Packaging UK business.

Shift Pattern: Double days

6:00am – 2:00pm / 2:00pm – 10:00pm / 40 hours per week (with a reasonable expectation of overtime if required)

Role Responsibilities

• Lead and promote a strong safety-first culture, proactively reducing risk and driving positive safety behaviours across the manufacturing floor.
• Deliver effective daily H&S briefings and ensure all safety actions are completed and embedded.
• Drive performance across all key operational KPIs including Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and People.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement, challenging existing practices and accelerating operational change.
• Work closely with Supply Chain and cross-functional teams to maintain exceptional customer service levels, including 100% OTIF performance.
• Lead, manage and develop shift team members in line with DS Smith Management Standards and HR policies.
• Conduct performance reviews, PDRs and training plans to ensure capability development and succession planning.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and GMP, ensuring the site remains audit-ready at all times.
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of management reports, including shift performance and OEE reporting.
• Support recruitment and onboarding where required to maintain a strong and capable team.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven leadership experience within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong people management skills with a clear continuous improvement mindset.
• A confident and resilient leader who can positively challenge the status quo.
• Strong analytical capability and a data-led approach to decision-making.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a diverse workforce.
• Advanced IT literacy and confidence working with production and performance systems.
• Qualification or training in Health & Safety and/or Quality Management (desirable).

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated operational leader who thrives in a hands-on environment and wants to play a key role in driving performance, engagement and operational excellence at site level.

What we can offer you:

• Competitive salary
• Qualifying Sick Pay scheme
• Pension scheme & Life insurance
• Share Save scheme
• Income Protection
• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP, Occupational Health & free Flu vaccine
• Cycle to Work and shopping discounts

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, e
ven those not meeting all criteria.”

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