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Brewing Shift Manager

Brewing Shift Manager- Job Specification

Vocation Brewery began brewing in 2015, quickly gaining a reputation for modern hopped forward beers. From small beginnings it has grown rapidly to be one of the UK’s leading independent craft breweries. We currently employ 60 people in the Head Office and Brewery teams, and around 60 more in the growing portfolio of Vocation & Co venues.

We’ve found our Vocation in bringing better beer to more people, and we seek to empower others to find theirs - through personal and professional nurturing, and an ongoing commitment to progressive recruitment and employment practices. All employees and applicants to Vocation Brewery are treated equitably regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

About the role 

This role will play a pivotal part within the Brewing department, they will be self-motivated and positive, ready to engage and lead a team of experienced brewers, ensuring they have the right skills, behaviours, development and support to deliver exceptional quality products.

As a people manager, there will be an expectation to lead the brewing team to ensure all safety and quality procedures are adhered to, whilst also ensuring that production plans are met on time in full.

This role will be expected to drive high performance within the department, looking at opportunities to improve by creating effective performance management and development plans for your team.

This role will be expected to complete weekend and shift work. Weekend work will be planned in advance with Brewery Operations Manager.

 Key skills and experience:  

  • A degree or certification in brewing science.
  • 2-3 years commercial brewing experience.
  • Management experience within a brewery/ distillery is preferred.
  • Ability to manage and plan key deliverables for a team.
  • Problem solving skills – A knowledge of and ability to resolve issues when they occur.
  • Practical skills (proficient within MS Word, Excel and MS Teams).
  • Strong interpersonal skills (including good written & verbal communication skills).
  • An understanding of wort production, from bulk malt handling through to fermentation.
  • Managing and running brewhouse and centrifuge activities.
  • Effective yeast management.
  • Managing 5S and housekeeping activities throughout brewing department.
  • Monitoring of product throughout fermentation and coaching other team members to adhere to process using correct SOPs.
  • All aspects of cellar work - including CIP of fermentation, bright beer tanks and packaging equipment, dry hopping and fining in process beer.
  • QA/QC duties, including sensory evaluation and lab work (when required).
  • Raw materials management.
  • Collaborate with brewing and packaging team on any processes that may impact beer quality.
  • Follow written SOP’s, accountable for SOP execution and changes.
  • Monitoring and reporting brewing and processing of batches to control quality, consistency and efficiency.
  • Monitoring and reporting daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly cleaning and maintenance tasks.
  • Ensure and maintain the highest safety standards for production and brewery staff.
  • Communicate daily with Production Manager and Brewing Director on scheduled tasks, issues encountered, and priorities.
  • Participate within Quality meetings.
  • Managing and resolving conflicts when they arise .
  • Ability to identify and resolve problems that occur within brewing department.

 Key results: 

  • Drive the KPI’s [INSERT KPI’s]
  • Lead training throughout the shift brewing team by creating and managing training records, working closely with Brewers to ensure team members are fully trained.
  • Help drive a continuous improvement mentality across the department by using Lean engineering techniques such as 5S, Visual Management etc.
  • Be a department lead for hygiene and housekeeping, leading 5S projects and ensuring correct standards are upheld.
  • Champion record keeping ensuring department is compliant and all reports are kept up to date.
  • Work closely with the Demand Planner/ Brewery Operations Manager to ensure production is completed OTIF according to plan by reducing breakdowns and short stops.
  • Report and solve maintenance issues that arise within means, work with suppliers to remove problems and ensuring that downtime is kept to a minimum.
  • Zero lost time accidents within department by guaranteeing a safe working environment and compliance with regulations, in a culture embracing safe working habits and risk mitigation.

Key relationships: 

  • Packaging Shift Managers
  • Brewery Operations Manager
  • Packaging Operations Team
  • Packaging Process Technicians

      To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter to jobs@vocationbrewery.com