Head of Production (Tea Packing)

Company: Finlays Colombo Limited

Role Summary

Lead Finlays Colombo's tea packing and production operations, ensuring customer orders are delivered safely, efficiently, on time and to the required quality standards, while driving productivity, cost optimisation, capacity utilisation and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the direction for the production function and translate business, customer and commercial priorities into clear operating plans.
• Lead tea packing operations with a strong floor presence, ensuring disciplined execution and timely delivery of commitments.
• Drive productivity, capacity utilisation, labour and machine efficiency, and sustained improvement in production cost.
• Strengthen production planning, resource allocation and operational controls to consistently deliver safety, quality, service and efficiency targets.
• Anticipate and address bottlenecks, downtime, wastage and process constraints through data-led review and continuous improvement.
• Lead Lean, TPM, OEE and other operational excellence initiatives to raise standards and sustain performance.
• Partner across planning, engineering, quality, procurement, warehousing, shipping and commercial teams to improve end-to-end operational performance.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Degree or professional qualification in Production, Engineering, Operations Management, Food Technology or a related field.
• Minimum of 12 years' relevant manufacturing experience, including leadership of a production function; experience in tea packing or export-oriented food and beverage manufacturing will be an advantage.
• Proven track record in improving productivity, cost efficiency, capacity utilisation and service delivery while effectively managing operational risk.
• Demonstrated ability to lead transformation and deliver measurable, sustained performance improvements.
• A strategic, hands-on and decisive leader with strong analytical skills, integrity and accountability.

Location

Welisara, Sri Lanka

Benefits

• Be part of a global legacy built on 270+ years of heritage.
• Contribute to work that supports people, communities and global markets.
• Build capability, confidence and a future with purpose.
• Work in a culture where people feel respected, supported and inspired.
• Contribute to responsible choices that support our people, communities, environment and long-term future.