Head of Production Germany (m/f/d)

Role description

As Head of Production Germany, you own the day-to-day performance and the continuous development of our German manufacturing site — the place where most of our flavours are actually made. You lead a multi-shift production organization in a demanding food-grade environment with a broad product portfolio, frequent changeovers, and high quality and traceability requirements. Your mission: a safe, reliable, and efficient factory that delivers on time every day. The ideal candidate combines strategic vision with hands-on operational experience and has a proven track record in scaling manufacturing capabilities in a dynamic environment.

Your Mission

Leadership & Organization

• Lead and develop the site's production organization through your shift leaders and team leads in the different operational areas (production planning, manufacturing, manufacturing logistics, warehousing).
• Create an environment where safety behavior, hygiene discipline, and quality awareness are non-negotiable and where people strive to be their best.
• Maintain a strong presence on the shopfloor, ensuring issues are identified and solved at the right level. Enable effective communication and collaboration across shifts and departments.

• Lead Production Planning & Execution in close collaboration with Supply Chain, ensuring on-time delivery and optimal resource utilization.
• Own the site's operational results (OTIF, lead-times, conversion costs, etc.) and implement lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives to boost efficiency and reduce waste.
• Escalate and resolve bottlenecks before customers feel them and shape the site's capacity, automation, and investment agenda together with the global Engineering function.

• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements (including handling of flammable and sensitizing materials (ATEX, hazardous substances).
• Guarantee product integrity and batch traceability as well as permanent audit readiness (FSSC 22000 / IFS, GMP, HACCP, customer and authority audits).
• Partner with the independent Quality function on deviations, CAPAs, and release topics.

Minimum Qualifications

• Degree in Food Technology, Process/Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a comparable qualification.
• 7+ years of production leadership in a flavour, fine chemical environment, or food environment including multi-shift responsibility.
• Hands-on experience with the specificities of flavour manufacturing: batch production, quality standards (FSSC 22000 / IFS, GMP, HACCP), chemical materials handling (ATEX/hazardous) allergen management, cleaning regimes and high product variety.
• Solid grounding in lean methods and daily management systems.
• A leadership style that combines closeness to the team with clear standards and strong communication skills from team member to executive level.
• Fluent German (shopfloor language) and good English (global collaboration).

Why you'll love working here

• Exciting tasks in an internationally operating, growing family business with flat hierarchies
• Flexible working hours and 30 days paid vacation per year
• Salary bands for a fair corporate culture
• Monthly allowance of €50 for your BAV
• Annual 360° feedback loops with clear promotion criteria and an individual career path
• Responsibility from day one in a company that encourages personal responsibility and growth
• Relocation costs can be reimbursed on a pro rata basis
• Regular company events such as summer party, Christmas party
• Paid team dinners or activities for each team twice a year
• Free parking right outside the door
• Perks and benefits: JobRad, subsidized lunch, subsidy for the Deutschlandticket, free language courses and discounted memberships at several gyms and for the Wellpass
• Fresh fruit, free drinks and snacks in the office

Our Process

• Initial Screening with a recruiter
• Technical interview
• Challenge onsite

About us

At Arethia, we fuse our long-standing reputation with a continual push for progress. A rapidly expanding player in the flavour industry, Arethia specialises in delivering innovative taste solutions and co-creating products that consumers love. For more than 70 years, Arethia has been known for its close collaboration with customers and the highest quality standards. With over 350 employees spread across Germany, Switzerland, Dubai, and Indonesia, we aim to shape the future of flavours with a culture that values agility, transparency, and talent.