Technical Operator

Who We Are

At Suntory Coleford, we’re passionate about manufacturing excellence. We believe in empowering our teams to take ownership of their work, drive continuous improvement, and deliver high-quality products safely and efficiently. You’ll be joining a collaborative environment where innovation, accountability, and personal development are valued every day. 

About your role

As a Technical Operator, you’ll be a key part of the manufacturing team at LRS Coleford. You’ll report to the Manufacturing Team Leader and work closely with the Production Line Owner to ensure your designated machines run effectively and efficiently.

You’ll be the first line of defence against minor losses and responsible for identifying the causes of minor stops. You’ll lead changeovers, resolve start-up issues, and create and execute CILTs. You’ll also champion continuous improvement, supporting Kaizans and feeding back losses beyond your expertise to the Manufacturing Engineer.

You’ll train new individuals on your machine, coach them through changeovers, and help develop standard settings. You’ll support the Infinite Loop process by bringing accurate information to SIC meetings and ensuring actions are executed effectively. You’ll take ownership of keeping your machines at basic operating conditions.

Your interactions will include working with the Operations Team, Manufacturing Engineer, Shift Engineer, CI Team, and Site Support functions.

Your responsibilities will span safety, quality, delivery, people development, and cost. You’ll comply with health and safety regulations, ensure product safety and quality, and maintain GMP standards. You’ll maximise plant capability and equipment effectiveness, respond rapidly to performance issues, and manage changeovers to standard. You’ll coach operators, define and improve standard work, and ensure cost-effective operation by minimising waste and losses.

What You'll Do

You’ll comply with all workplace health and safety regulations and ensure timely closure of corrective and preventative actions. You’ll take ownership of product safety and quality, escalate any issues, and maintain GMP standards.

You’ll maximise plant capability and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), optimise machine setups, and respond quickly to performance losses. You’ll manage changeovers to standard, contribute to RCA activities, and support the execution of the Infinite Loop process.

You’ll coach new operators, define and improve standard work, and ensure proper cleaning, inspection, lubrication, and maintenance of assets. You’ll also work to minimise waste and maximise machine availability and performance.

What's in it for you

You’ll be part of a team that values your input and encourages you to grow. You’ll have the opportunity to become a recognised expert on your machine, lead improvement initiatives, and contribute to a high-performing production line.

You’ll work in a supportive environment where your development is a priority. You’ll gain hands-on experience, receive coaching, and be empowered to make decisions that impact performance and quality. You’ll also be part of a culture that celebrates innovation and accountability.

What You need to be successful

You’ll be measured by key performance indicators such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), availability and performance metrics, changeover and clean times to standard, and planned maintenance execution. Success will also be reflected in your ability to eradicate short stops and speed losses, and maintain high standards in quality, including defects, rework, and waste.

To achieve this, you’ll need to be able to diagnose defects or abnormal operations and take appropriate action. You should understand and apply RCA techniques like 5Ys and 4Ms, and support SAP business processes to ensure work gets completed effectively. You’ll be recognised as an expert on changeovers for your specific asset and fully conversant with acceptable quality limits.

You’ll need to perform basic engineering tasks, understand lubrication and cleaning requirements, and support the engineering team during overhaul programmes. You should be capable of manual handling operations and understand engineering principles well enough to carry out your day-to-day responsibilities. You’ll also need to know how to take emergency actions for your specific asset and replace simple components as agreed with the engineering department.

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognize that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavor to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.