Head of Production

Thanks for checking out our vacancy, we’re delighted you want to learn more about Dechra.

Dechra are a growing, global specialist within the world of veterinary pharmaceuticals. Our expertise is in the development, manufacture, marketing and sales of high quality products exclusively for veterinarians worldwide.

Here at Dechra, our values are embedded within our culture and thrive within our family of almost 2000 colleagues globally. From manufacturing to marketing, Dedication, Enjoyment, Courage, Honesty, Relationships and Ambition are at the heart of our everyday operations and the way we do business.

The Opportunity

The Head of Production role is fully responsible for leading, managing and defining the production delivery of the Skipton site with consideration of the commercial benefit for the wider Dechra strategic plan. The Head of Production operates as a member of the Site Leadership Team (SLT) with shared vision, objectives & key performance indicators (KPIs).

The Head of Production sets priorities, including support function personnel aligned to the Manufacturing and Filling & Packing Value Streams, and holds people accountable for delivery of performance across people, safety, quality, delivery and cost (P,S,Q,D,& C) to ensure the business requirements from the Value Streams are delivered on time, to specification and to budget.

Role Responsibility

So, what will you be doing? This role has a broad and varied remit and the successful candidate will have responsibility for duties including:

• Responsible for optimising the people, safety, quality, delivery and cost (P,S,Q,D,& C) performance of all production processes by;
• routinely applying One Dechra Production System (ODPS) methodology
• leading by example to ensure Dechra values and “ways of Working” are routinely applied
• “building a great place to work” through engagement, motivation, communication, recognition and valuing employees contribution
• Training and developing staff to build capability, competency, flexibility & ownership in the team

People

• Ensure that the Value Streams (VSs) have the capacity (numbers & roles) to cost effectively deliver customer service demands.
• Ensure that the VSs team members have the capability (skills / competency) to cost effectively deliver what is required by defining and delivering effective training and development.
• Demonstrate the Dechra values through your leadership style, leading by example and coaching the team to have the right mindset and behaviours, engagement & ownership.
• Develop engagement, ownership and “ways of working” of the team which ensures VSs & business targets are delivered.
• Ensure employees are engaged and empowered to drive improvements whilst role-modelling the Dechra values.
• Support the wider site cultural transformation to “build a great place to work” at Dechra Skipton.
• Ensure effective training, development and management of people within the VSs including effective management of associated people policies within the business.
• Develop and implement succession plans for your function, including opportunities for people to have cross functional experiences.

Product

• Supply VSs customers on time, in full, right first time.
• Ensure NPD & TT projects are well planned and executed through multi-functional teams to deliver requirements on time, to specification & to budget.
• Ensure product remediation projects are well planned and executed through multi-functional teams to deliver requirements on time, to specification & to budget.
• Develop and deliver capital investment plans which enable the VSs to have the capacity and capability to deliver business requirements in the 0 – 10 year timeframe.

Performance

• Lead VSs to deliver to target or better across the “balanced scorecard” of P,S,Q,D & C.
• Lead and support the development of the use of ODPS in the VSs to drive performance improvement and develop the capability of the VSs teams to effectively use ODPS tools & techniques.
• Responsible for manufacturing and filling & packing operations and continuous improvement within these areas.
• Operate within the agreed KPI’s, financial and other measures. Identify and implement site plans to improve cost of goods (COGS).

Plant

• Ensure that the plant, equipment and services has the capacity and capability to cost effectively deliver customer service demands and business requirements.
• Ensure that plant, equipment and services are operated and maintained to deliver reliable service.

Processes

• Ensure VSs adherence to use of systems within the business and support the implementation of new systems and processes as appropriate.
• Deliver business objectives through strategy deployment, the use of the X-Matrix and supporting objectives cascade ensuring all team members understand their contribution to the business goals.
• Create a safe working environment across the VSs with a focus on driving health, safety and environmental improvements to benefit the business, employees and key stakeholders.
• Ensure a quality mind-set is integrated within all processes and employees within the VSs.
• Responsible for VSs compliance to cGMP and ensuring all regulatory bodies standards are met, with the VSs being “inspection ready” at all times.
• Ensure effective communications within the VSs and across all business functions, both internally (within Site) and externally within Dechra, creating an inclusive, empowered way of working.
• Work effectively with the Manufacturing Science & Technical team to refine production processes, to ensure robust products, always produced right first time (RFT) within specification and optimum manufacture.
• Support the Product Development teams within Dechra to facilitate transition of products from development into full scale production.
• Support the Regulatory Affairs team to ensure adequate controls and changes are in place in a timely manner, ensuring continuous supply to the markets.

Plan

• Delivery to plan supporting commercial aspirations (OTIF customer delivery including NPD & TT introduction) through supporting an integrated site approach with the Head of Supply Chain and Quality, ensuring compliance and teamwork is effective.
• Deliver routine customer service, resulting in zero backorders, through the development and delivery of a Flexible Repeating Schedule for VSs product demand.
• Ensure appropriate communication and escalation of any risks to the VSs delivery plan for delivery and identify and implement actions to mitigate the risks identified.

Other

• Be the Site Director’s “Number 2”, providing opportunities for delegation and development, and lead the site as appropriate in the absence of the Site Director.

Key Performance Indicators

• Deliver performance to target or better across the “balanced scorecard” of metrics covering People, Safety, Sustainability, Quality, Delivery and Cost (P,S,S, Q, D, C)
• Ensure compliance to all Health, Safety and Environmental regulatory requirements & routines
• Support Dechra’s Sustainability initiative’s, improving the site’s sustainability performance
• Quality Management System On Time Performance (QMS OTP); Improve the quality processes closing out of specification (OOS), deviations, corrective and preventive actions (CaPa) & change controls within the agreed time frames
• Ensure delivery of compliant products on time in full (OTIF) within budget
• Finance, achievement of budget spend, recoveries, unit operating profit, PPV, margin improvement and cost savings.
• Ensure asset management is delivered; Maintenance schedule adherence (CBM,PPM, OAC, reactive maintenance), spares parts availability, tracking MTTR and MTBF.
• Continuously improve “ways of working” as demonstrated by improved levels of attendance and engagement (as measured in the engagement and “pulse” surveys”)

The Ideal Candidate

Here at Dechra we pride ourselves on being an inclusive employer and we embrace candidates from all walks of life. We’re particularly keen to hear from those who have/are:

• Proven record of in-depth expertise, experience and performance delivery in manufacturing, process, filling and packing operations within the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, health and personal care, food, confectionery, beverage, or similar highly regulated production environments.
• Experience of working within a GMP environment
• An operational background with an understanding of production, engineering, facilities, technical and quality assurance, control & compliance departments.
• Ability to demonstrate commercial and business acumen
• Knowledge of process application, equipment and integrated business systems approaches
• Experience and knowledge of continuous improvement , Lean / Operational excellence
• Experience of leading multi-disciplined, cross functional teams through a change process
• Experience of FDA, MHRA and other regulatory pharmaceutical bodies
• Experience of Technical Transfer of Pharmaceutical products
• Experience of managing cross functional projects
• Good employee relations experience

Due to the nature of our business, all successful candidates will be required to complete a basic DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service check) before employment can commence, and at regular intervals during employment. This check will be paid for by Dechra.

Package Description

• Average 36-hour working week (with a day off every other Friday)
• Opportunities for training and development
• 22.5 days annual leave + Bank holidays
• Option to buy a week's holiday each year
• Private Health Care and Healthcare Cash Plan
• Free access to the Headspace App
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free on-site parking

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