Production Manager

Description

Summary: Join IFF, a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, and health & biosciences, as a Production professional in Yunpu, Guangdong, contributing to sustainable innovations. Highlights: 1. Opportunity to lead a critical manufacturing function in a growing business 2. Exposure to global standards in food flavor production 3. Collaborative and innovation-driven environment with career development **Job Summary** Are you ready to take your skills to the next level and make a real impact? IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health \& biosciences, we deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products. Taste: Crafting unique, technology\-enabled flavor designs that define the identity of food and beverage brands, shape trends in flavor building and fuel market success. The role is based in Yunpu, Guangdong (onsite role). Be part of a creative, solution\-oriented team where together we can achieve greatness and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration. **Where You’ll Make a Difference** * **Production Planning \& Execution** Manage and execute production plans to meet customer demand, ensuring alignment with capacity, raw materials, and resource availability. * **Process Safety \& Compliance** Ensure all operations comply with process safety, EHS regulations, and food safety standards (e.g., GMP, HACCP, local regulatory requirements). * **Quality Assurance \& Control** Oversee adherence to product specifications, manage deviations (NCR), and drive continuous quality improvement initiatives. * **SAP Production Management (PP\-PI / MM / WM)** Maintain and execute production orders in SAP, including order release, confirmation, goods movements, and inventory accuracy. * **Data Analysis, Reporting \& Digitalization** Analyze production data (e.g., yield, batch variance, OEE) using SAP, or BI tools; develop dashboards and reports; drive data integrity, automation, and system improvements (e.g., SAP optimization, MES/BI integration). * **Inventory \& Materials Management** Monitor raw material and finished goods inventory, ensure accuracy in SAP, maintain DMA, plan and execute cycle count. * **Continuous Improvement, Cost \& Process Optimization** Lead initiatives to improve productivity and reduce waste; optimize batch sizes, and process parameters; drive cost reduction while maintaining consistent product quality. * **Team Leadership \& Workforce Management** Manage and develop production teams, including supervisors and operators; ensure capability building and performance management. * **Equipment \& Maintenance Coordination** Work closely with engineering/maintenance teams to ensure equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, and minimal downtime. * **Cross\-functional Coordination** Collaborate with R\&D, QA, Supply Chain, and Planning teams to ensure smooth product launches, recipe changes, and demand fulfillment. **What Makes You the Right Fit** * Bachelor’s degree or above in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field * Minimum **8\+ years of production/manufacturing experience** , preferably in: Food ingredients / food flavor / cosmetics manufacturing * Proven **team management experience** with strong leadership capability * Solid knowledge of **GMP, HACCP, and EHS standards** * Fluent in English is preferred **How Would You Stand Out?** * Hands\-on experience with **SAP (PP\-PI/MM/WM)** or similar ERP systems * Strong analytical skills and experience with production KPIs and reporting tools * Continuous improvement mindset (Lean / Six Sigma is a plus) * Strong communication and cross\-functional collaboration skills **Why Choose Us?** * Opportunity to lead a critical manufacturing function in a growing business * Exposure to global standards in food flavor production * Collaborative and innovation\-driven environment * Strong career development and leadership growth opportunities We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity \& expression, sexual orientation, or disability. Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace\-diversity\-and\-inclusion to learn more