Your Impact

We have an exciting opportunity for a full-time Senior Lean & Packaging Line Performance Manager in Melbourne to join the Operational Excellence team. In this position, you will play a pivotal role in managing our regional Packaging & Performance standards and processes through our Lean program, better known as The Asahi Way. You will drive continuous improvement initiatives that align with the business’s performance targets and be responsible for developing a Packaging strategy that supports the long-term One Asahi vision.

This role will report directly to the Head of Operational Excellence Oceania and will have 6 direct reports. You will be ably supported by this team of State Lean Managers to ensure Asahi Way capability is built to deliver sustainable business results, whilst collaborating with other OPEX teams including Maintenance and Utilities & Sustainability.

Please note: This role requires frequent travel to all our Manufacturing & Logistics sites across Australia.

Key Responsibilities

• Executing the 10-year Asahi Way Strategy in alignment with One Asahi Supply Chain strategy.

• Leading Asahi Way self-assessments and verification audits to identify and close performance gaps.

• Facilitating capability-building forums across Packaging, Maintenance, and Utilities teams.

• Reviewing and optimizing manufacturing processes and systems to enhance efficiency.

• Managing packaging performance KPIs and overseeing 1-5 year planning and budgeting.

• Developing and implementing downtime categorization and benchmarking projects.

• Providing governance for manufacturing downtime allocation and reporting.

• Defining technical specifications and standards for packaging line equipment.

• Leading packaging leadership training and regional forums to build a high-performance team.

• Coaching and mentoring technical packaging roles and graduate development programs.

• Championing environmental health, safety, and quality best practices across manufacturing sites.

About You

To succeed in this role, you will be a strategic, forward-thinking person, with a deep understanding of manufacturing processes. You also have a proven track record of driving continuous improvement and change management initiatives. Your ability to influence stakeholders, manage budgets, and lead high-performing teams will be crucial.

You'll be a great fit for the role if you also possess the following:

• 5-10 years of experience in a high-speed manufacturing environment, preferably in Food & Beverage or FMCG.

• Strong demonstrable knowledge and skills in Lean Manufacturing.

• Proficiency in large-scale project management, managing a program of work across multiple sites.

• Excellent stakeholder management and leadership skills with the ability to communicate effectively. 

• Demonstrated experience in budget preparation and P&L management.

• An understanding of Maintenance is preferable.

• Proficient in MS Office, SAP knowledge is beneficial.

Why Asahi Beverages

Asahi Beverages is a leading multi-beverage organization with a rich and varied history. Our regional head office is based in Melbourne, with sales, manufacturing, and distribution centers located across Australia and New Zealand. We produce and market some of Australia’s most iconic beverage brands, including Schweppes, Pepsi Max, Gatorade, Cool Ridge, Great Northern, Carlton Draught, Vodka Cruiser, Asahi Super Dry, and Allpress coffee. We have a great track record of success, we work at pace, our teams are high-performing, and there’s always a lot going on. There are so many opportunities in our company for those ready to take them on!

We’re proud of who we are and humble in how we work – we believe in creating a culture of excellence, innovation, and diversity. We offer a range of benefits such as product discounts, flexible work arrangements, health and wellness programs, and learning & development opportunities. We are passionate about our commitment to the communities we serve and are clear on our role in enhancing environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

We are a Circle Back Initiative employer and commit to responding to all applicants.