Abattoir Manager – Pork Processing

About the role

A leading business in the pork meat processing industry, which provides slaughtering services to pig producers and supplies pork carcasses to meat processors and distributors, is looking for an Abattoir Manager in Gauteng. The manager takes overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the abattoir, ensuring safe, compliant and efficient operations with high standards of food safety, product quality, animal welfare, people management and equipment reliability.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations from livestock receiving through slaughter, dressing, chilling and carcass dispatch.
• Ensure production targets, throughput and operational requirements are met safely and efficiently.
• Ensure compliance with meat safety, food safety, hygiene, animal welfare, occupational health and safety and other regulatory requirements.
• Implement, maintain and monitor food safety, hygiene and sanitation procedures.
• Manage staff, supervisors and resources, including workforce planning, discipline, attendance and performance.
• Maintain carcass quality and support customer and quality requirements.
• Identify inefficiencies and improve productivity, yield, workflow and cost control.
• Coordinate general maintenance of the site, plant and equipment, and escalate maintenance issues promptly.
• Monitor stock and consumables, keep accurate records and report on production, staffing, food safety and maintenance.
• Work closely with Quality, Maintenance, HR and other departments.

Required profile

• Proven management experience overseeing a workforce of more than 50 employees for at least 3 years.
• Hands-on abattoir experience, preferably in a pork abattoir or pork meat processing environment.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, hygiene and compliance in meat processing.
• Understanding of slaughter-floor operations, production flow and carcass handling.
• Experience with site and equipment maintenance in a production or abattoir setting.
• Strong people-management, problem-solving and decision-making skills; able to work in a fast-paced environment.

Required skills

• Microsoft Excel and other operational systems.
• Meat Matrix and/or Abbasoft/Abbasurf systems.

The position is permanent and the salary is negotiable, depending on qualifications, skills and experience.