Production Leadership Opportunity at VKB Group – VKB Milling
VKB Group is recruiting a disciplined, detail-driven, and operationally focused Packaging Manager to join VKB Milling (Pty) Ltd on a permanent basis in Christiana, North West. This associate-level opportunity is ideal for a production professional with solid experience in milling environments, packaging operations, materials planning, and people leadership within an agri-processing or FMCG production setting.
The role is responsible for managing packaging operations across the milling facility, ensuring uninterrupted availability of packaging materials, maintaining strict quality and safety standards, and leading teams to deliver consistent, high-quality output aligned with production schedules and distribution requirements. Effective packaging management directly impacts product quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
This role is suited to a professional who values structure, accountability, and continuous improvement and who thrives in a fast-paced production environment where precision and consistency are critical.
About the Role
The Packaging Manager is accountable for the execution and control of all packaging-related activities within the Christiana milling operation. The role focuses on coordinating packaging processes, managing material supply, ensuring quality compliance, and supporting smooth production flow across shifts and teams.
This position requires a hands-on leader who understands milling processes, machine utilisation, and the importance of packaging as the final control point before products reach customers. The Packaging Manager works closely with production, procurement, logistics, and site management to ensure that packaging output aligns with milling volumes and sales demand.
Strong planning, leadership, and problem-solving skills are essential, as the role involves balancing daily operational pressures with longer-term efficiency, cost control, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Packaging Material and Supplier Management
The successful candidate will take ownership of sourcing high-quality packaging materials at competitive prices to support operational efficiency and profitability. This includes planning and managing daily packaging material procurement, ensuring continuous supply to production, and preventing downtime or losses caused by material shortages.
The role also involves monitoring stock levels, ensuring correct quantities are always available, coordinating packaging logistics to support production and distribution, and maintaining strong working relationships with suppliers to ensure reliability, cost efficiency, and compliance with internal standards.
Planning and Scheduling
The Packaging Manager will plan and schedule daily packaging processes and machine operations in alignment with production plans and sales forecasts. This includes ensuring packaging capacity supports milling output, packaging runs efficiently, and deadlines are consistently met.
Effective scheduling is critical to minimising bottlenecks, reducing downtime, and maintaining smooth production flow, particularly during high-demand production periods.
Quality, Compliance, and Operational Standards
A core responsibility of the role is ensuring ongoing compliance with Occupational Health and Safety standards, internal quality control policies, and relevant legislation. The Packaging Manager ensures that packaging processes and final products consistently meet internal mill quality standards.
This includes monitoring quality performance, addressing deviations promptly, supporting audits, enforcing safety procedures, and maintaining a disciplined operational environment within the packaging department.
People and Performance Management
The Packaging Manager is responsible for supporting and coordinating daily HR-related activities within the department. This includes setting clear performance expectations, holding team members accountable for results and deadlines, driving productivity, and fostering a culture of teamwork and responsibility.
The role requires strong leadership skills to create momentum, manage performance effectively, and ensure teams deliver consistent output in a demanding production environment.
Continuous Improvement and Efficiency
The position plays a key role in driving continuous improvement within packaging operations. This includes identifying opportunities to improve systems and workflows, reducing waste, increasing efficiency, and removing operational obstacles that impact production flow.
The Packaging Manager acts as an enabler by strengthening operational fundamentals and supporting initiatives that improve long-term performance and sustainability within the milling environment.
Minimum Requirements
Candidates applying for this role must meet the following requirements:
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Grade 12 or NQF Level 4
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office
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Clear criminal record
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Working knowledge of quality control systems and mill processes
Experience and Professional Background
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3–5 years’ experience within a milling or agri-processing environment
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Proven experience managing packaging operations or production-related functions
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Experience in materials planning, supplier coordination, and stock control
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Exposure to people management, performance accountability, and operational leadership
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A qualification in Production or Operational Management will be advantageous
Key Skills and Competencies
The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong capability in:
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Production planning and operational execution
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Packaging and materials management
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Supplier and logistics coordination
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Clear and effective communication
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People leadership and team development
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Problem-solving in high-pressure production environments
Fundamental Competencies
This role requires a professional who is:
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Structured, disciplined, and process-driven
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Results-focused with strong accountability
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Able to work under pressure in fast-paced environments
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Proactive and improvement-oriented
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Collaborative, reliable, and team-focused
Employment Details
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Position Type: Permanent
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Company: VKB Group
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Division: VKB Agri Processors (Pty) Ltd
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Business Unit: VKB Milling (Pty) Ltd
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Location: Christiana, North West
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Industry: Agriculture / Agri-Processing
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Job Functional Area: Production
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Experience Level: Associate
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Closing Date: 12 February 2026
Apply for Packaging Manager – VKB Milling
Qualified candidates with relevant packaging and milling experience are encouraged to submit their applications before the closing date.
👉 Apply for Packaging Manager – VKB Milling
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