Packaging Team Leader - Newlands Brewery

End Date: October 27, 2026

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Safety & Environmental Leadership

• Outcome: Everyone goes home safe; the workplace is audit‑ready at all times.
• Own and enforce SHE standards, PPE compliance, SAM (Safety Access to Machines), LOTOTO, Permit‑to‑Work (PTW), machine guarding, and safe work procedures.
• Conduct safety observations, toolbox talks, risk assessments, and layered audits; correct deviations immediately.
• Ensure incident and near‑miss reporting, investigation, and close‑out with effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Maintain 5S/housekeeping and ensure safe isolations during maintenance or breakdowns.
• Proactively manage environmental compliance (spills, waste streams, energy/water discipline) with zero non‑compliances as the target.

Quality Assurance & Process Control

• Outcome: Right‑first‑time product, zero consumer risk, stable processes.
• Ensure all process and product checks are completed at prescribed frequency and properly recorded (SPC charts, MES / VPO systems).
• Verify and trend quality data; respond early to drift; trigger reaction plans; contain, correct, and escalate per standards.
• Lead/trigger QFR, 5 Why, and Abnormality Report events according to defined triggers; ensure actions are assigned, closed, and verified for effectiveness.
• Safeguard traceability, material and batch control, and non‑conformance management.
• Partner with Quality Lab for escalations; complete start‑up and post‑maintenance quality verifications.

Cost & Resource Management

• Outcome: Deliver the plan within budget, reducing losses and waste.
• Manage and track line losses (speed, minor stops, breakdowns, rework, start‑up losses, material waste) and drive loss elimination using VPO tools.
• Control material usage (caps, closures, labels, film, pallets, glue), GLY/OSE, utilities, and scrap; uphold FEFO/traceability practices.
• Optimize manpower deployment, overtime, and planned activities (cleaning days, maintenance days) to minimize cost per hectolitre.
• Apply basic financial discipline: adherence to budgets, approval matrices, and accurate administrative records.

Operations & Production Management

• Outcome: Plan attainment through stable, reliable, and efficient operations.
• Interpret and execute the daily/weekly production plan (changeovers); balance resources against SKU mix and constraints; coordinate with Planning and Logistics.
• Monitor OSE (Availability, Performance, Quality) in real time; act on losses and abnormalities; call in specialist resources when triggers are met.
• Ensure the team completes Autonomous Operations steps (cleaning, inspection, lubrication, tightening, basic adjustments); validate defect tagging and closure.
• Support artisans during breakdowns: safe stop, initial troubleshooting, fault isolation, documentation, and post‑repair validation (ramp‑up, checks, early loss detection).
• Operate equipment when needed to protect the schedule and coach correct standards on the floor.
• Ensure robust shift handover (leader‑to‑leader and operator‑to‑operator): machine status, quality status, defects, material constraints, planned interventions.
• Ensure compliance with SOPs, work instructions, VPO standards audits, and documentation requirements.
• Complete accurate end‑of‑shift reports (results, losses, quality, materials, safety, 5S); ensure robust leader handover.

Leadership & People Development

• Outcome: A motivated, autonomous team that can self‑manage and solve problems.
• Lead people towards a shared dream; communicate vision, purpose, and standards clearly; celebrate successes visibly and often.
• Build team autonomy: enable operators to detect, contain, and correct abnormalities; coach on VPO methods, 5 Why, reaction plans, and standard work.
• Conduct one‑on‑ones, and hold regular performance and team target reviews, Training Needs Analysis (TNA), and competency assessments (e.g., SKAP); facilitate planned training and cross‑skilling.
• Manage attendance, timekeeping, and workforce issues on shift; uphold people policies and a healthy IR climates

• National Diploma or equivalent in Engineering (Elec, Mech, Industrial, Instrumental) (Bachelor’s degree in Engineering will be an added advantage)
• Minimum 2-5 years FMCG / Manufacturing industries experience
• Completed Packaging Traineeship, ABInBev Leadership, or Artisan Training (Planning experience will be an added advantage)
• 3–5 years of factory production experience
• Proven shift production expertise, and a strong performance record marked by discipline, problem-solving skills, and a drive for continuous improvement