At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operations for a fast-growing food manufacturing business and drive strategic growth.
- Company: Dynamic food manufacturing company with a focus on innovation and sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to shape the future of operations.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team dedicated to safety, quality, and sustainable growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by combining hands-on leadership with strategic influence at board level.
- Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in food manufacturing and proven operational improvement skills.
The predicted salary is between 42750 - 52250 £ per year.
Overview
In this role, you will own the end-to-end operations for a fast-growing food manufacturing business, reporting to the CEO and serving on the Senior Leadership Team.
You will shape and execute the operational strategy to enable rapid, sustainable growth across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics.
You will lead cross-functional improvements, build robust capacity, and maintain high standards for safety, quality and cost.
The opportunity combines hands-on leadership on the factory floor with strategic influence at board level to drive scalable performance and transformation.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics
- Develop and implement the operational strategy to support rapid and sustainable growth
- Build capacity plans for labour, shifts, equipment, production capability, storage and transport
- Ensure performance meets safety, quality, service, efficiency, waste and cost targets
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives across end-to-end operation
- Establish KPIs and accountability across operational teams
- Develop and strengthen the management team with clear ownership
- Collaborate with CEO and SLT on commercial, financial and strategic decisions
- Support major customer launches, change programmes and capital investment projects
- Ensure the operation is structured and resourced for future growth
- Maintain hands-on leadership on the factory floor while engaging in strategic discussions
- Identify operational risks and opportunities and develop practical solutions
- Key requirements
- Senior leadership experience within food manufacturing
- Accountability across production, warehousing, inventory, stock control, dispatch and logistics
- Capacity planning experience across labour, shifts, equipment, storage and transport
- Proven track record of scaling, transforming or significantly improving operations
- Strong control of health & safety, quality, customer service, labour efficiency, waste and cost
- Commercial and financial awareness with understanding of profitability impact of operational decisions
- Proven people leadership and development of managers and teams
- Ability to balance hands-on factory floor style with SLT-level strategic input
- data-driven
- proactive
- solutions-focused
- capacity planning
- end-to-end operations management
- health & safety compliance
Head of Operations employer: D R Newitt & Associates
Join a dynamic and collaborative team at a leading manufacturer in Lancashire, where your sales expertise will be valued and rewarded. With a competitive salary of circa £25k plus OTE commission, you'll benefit from a supportive work culture that prioritises employee growth through training and future progression opportunities. This is an excellent opportunity for motivated individuals looking to make a meaningful impact in a thriving industry.
