Job Description

Location : Cookstown
Job Ref: UDF/2026/568
Employment : Full-Time Permanent
Closing Date : 12 January 2026 05:00 pm

Dale Farm Cooperative is a UK dairy farmer co-operative owned by over 1200 dairy farmers who supply us with fresh milk. Dale Farm has operations throughout the UK and Ireland producing and distributing a wide range of dairy products which it sells across the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to over 45 countries worldwide.


At Dale Farm virtually every career discipline is represented in our workforce, from production, engineering and distribution, to sales & marketing and food technology/quality assurance, to Finance, HR and IT through to general management. Our standards are high and when we recruit we are looking for those with energy and drive, who are keen for responsibility and motivated to succeed with a record of achievement and with the potential to develop as the company grows.

Culture

Our culture is based on setting best in class standards, working to-wards and delivering on committed objectives, striving for constant improvement and involving everyone in the company. We strive to develop our people and harness everyone's contribution to deliver a winning team.

Equal Opportunities

The company is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to a safe, inclusive and relationship based workspace.

Benefits

In return, we offer a high degree of responsibility, plenty of challenge, good opportunities for learning and personal development and rewarding benefit packages, all within a fast moving and results oriented environment.

About the Role

As a Shift Manager for Bulk Cheese & Whey, you will report directly to the Assistant Bulk Cheese & Whey Production Manager and play a key role delivering operational excellence within the department.


You will be required to support the day-to-day operational management of Bulk Cheese & Whey department. You will manage a team tasked with optimising Cheese and Whey production

Key Responsibilities

Assist the Bulk Cheese & Whey Management Team by overseeing all aspects of Cheese manufacturing operations whilst on shift, ensuring efficient and effective performance across all shifts Support daily operations to achieve operational targets and strategic objectives. Assist in managing all aspects of people management for your team, to include developing and empowering your team of operatives to assume ownership of their responsibilities, proactively monitoring and addressing poor performance, attendance, and communicating effectively with your team. Prepare regular production status updates and reports on a daily, weekly basis for the Production Manager highlighting key performance metrics, identify performance gaps, trends, potential challenges and improvements Ensure all Cheese and Whey products meet customer specifications and quality standards. Maintain rigorous hygiene controls and manage the team to support food safety and audit readiness. Support the use of lean manufacturing techniques and initiatives with particular emphasis on lean tools such as Problem-Solving, Root Cause Analysis and Standard Work for the investigation and identification of preventative and corrective action Ensure accurate stock control and inventory management. Take responsibility for minimising material wastage, overtime, downtime and improve yield accuracy through effective monitoring and reporting. Develop strong collaborative working relations with all internal departments including production, engineering, and quality and third party contractors. Take ownership of compliance, and health and safety regulations, contributing to and ensuring an adherence to site safety culture.

About the Person

Essential Criteria:

Minimum 3 years' recent relevant experience in a similar role within a FMCG manufacturing/production environment Food Hygiene Certification or evidenced track record of delivering against quality/food safety requirements. Previous experience in process control or operating plant machinery Evidenced experience of H&S awareness and compliance




Proficient in MS Office applications Ability to work in an environment with competing priorities and manage multiple tasks effectively in accordance with production and delivery targets. Excellent problem solving and organisational skills with a hands-on approach Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to effectively communicate to a range of internal and external stakeholders, and to coordinate between different departments and senior management. Strong leadership qualities and the motivation to inspire all the team

Desirable Criteria:

Educated to degree level, preferably in a science or Food Technology discipline Experience in lean manufacturing or process improvement techniques. Minimum 2 years' experience in Cheese and Whey processing Level 3 Food Hygiene Level 3 HACCAP




Learn more about the company and to apply online dalefarm.co.uk/careers

Completed application forms must be received online before

5:00pm on Monday 12

th

January 2026

Only applications from EU Nationals or those with a valid permit to work in the UK will be accepted.

We are an equal opportunities employer





AMBITION | CURIOSITY | TEAMWORK | POSITIVITY | RESOLVE | ACCOUNTABILITY