Operations Manager

The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of Driscoll's Maidstone including day-to-day management of the daily operations. The role involves managing teams, optimizing processes and maintaining high standards of customer service, ensuring product quality and maintaining a safe and compliant work environment. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational, leadership and analytical skills to meet targets, reduce costs and drive continuous improvement and be able to work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Production Management: Plan, organize and run optimum day-to-day operations to exceed our customers’ expectations. Increase production, assets capacity, and flexibility while minimizing unnecessary costs and maintaining current quality standards. Be responsible for production output, product quality, and on-time shipping. Allocate resources effectively and fully utilize assets to produce optimal results. Manage production workflows to minimize downtime and optimize throughput. Implement strategies in alignment with strategic initiatives and provide a clear sense of direction and costs. Monitor operations and trigger corrective actions. Create comprehensive schedules that outline the sequence of tasks, timelines and resource allocation to ensure smooth workflow and timely completion of orders. Ensure that all necessary materials, equipment and personnel are available and properly allocated to meet production schedule. Drive in collaboration with S&OP team rough capacity plans to minimize cost and maximize the output of the packhouse.
• Warehouse Management: Oversee inventory levels, ensuring accurate records and timely restocking to meet demand. Logistics coordination: Coordinate the receipt, storage and dispatch of goods, ensuring timely and accurate deliveries. Optimize warehouse layout and space utilization to improve efficiency and workflow. Liaise with growers and transport companies to ensure smooth operations and resolve any issues.
• Team Leadership: Lead, train and develop teams, fostering a positive and productive environment. Assign tasks, supervise and evaluate employees, provide coaching and implement performance management strategies. Coordinate shift schedules and manage workforce allocation to meet production demands.
• Lean Management: Develop and implement lean manufacturing principles to streamline operations, reduce waste, and improve efficiencies. Develop and manage budgets for the site. Monitor all costs and implement cost saving measures without compromising quality. Identify and eliminate waste in all forms, including excess inventory, overproduction, waiting times, unnecessary transportation and defects. Develop systems and processes that track and optimize productivity and standards, metrics and performance targets to ensure effective return on assets. Stay up to date with the latest production management best practices and concepts. Establish and maintain standardized work procedures to ensure consistency, quality and efficiency in production processes. Utilize lean problem-solving techniques, such as root cause analysis and the 5 Whys, to address and resolve issues promptly.
• Health And Safety: Promote a strong safety culture and provide training to all site personnel on safety practices. Ensure the site complies with all safety regulations and standards. Maintain site safety documentation and incident reports. Conduct regular safety reviews, audits and risk assessments. Address and resolve any hazards or violations.
• Collaboration with Stakeholders: Maintain clear and consistent communication with Growers regarding production activities, challenges and issues to be solved as defined per contract. Liaise with growers delivering fruit to the Packhouse to drive improvements and resolve challenges. Coordinate with other departments (e.g. Quality, Sales, Logistics, Technical, Master Scheduling) to resolve issues and drive improvement. Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders regarding progress, challenges and performance.

Candidate Profile

• Education & Training: Bachelor's degree in business management, Supply Chain Management, or related field. Advanced level of English.
• Experience: At least 10 years relevant working experience, both operational and people management experience. Experience in logistics of perishable products. Understanding of agricultural practices, including the post-harvest handling of fresh produce. Experience with food safety standards and quality control measures to ensure that all produce meets regulatory requirements and company standards. Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles to optimize production processes, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. Experience in managing cold chain logistics to ensure that produce is stored and transported at the correct temperatures to maintain freshness. Financial acumen: Ability to manage budgets, control costs, and optimize financial performance of the plant.
• Skills & Behaviours: Strong communicator, oral and written skills, including presentation skills, are required. Be self-motivated and able to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision. Ability to balance multiple work assignments. Flexible team player with good interpersonal skills, drive and enthusiasm for continuous improvement. Pro-active attitude. Customer centric approach. Capable to manage, delegate and lead under pressure. Excellent People Management skills – cultural awareness. Analytical skills. Adapts easily to frequent change. Ability to initiate and follow through. Hands-on personality, who’s used to handle ad-hoc issues.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Mindset: Looks toward the future and designs a way to get there.
• Cultivates Innovation: Finds, champions, and implements innovations; large or small.
• Plans & Aligns: Establishes priorities and desired outcomes and creates plans to achieve them.
• Drives Results: Pursues everything with energy, resourcefulness, and the need to achieve desired outcomes.
• Collaborates: Works with a variety of colleagues, inside and/or outside of Driscoll's, seeking win-win solutions.
• Drives Engagement: Creates a motivating work environment and empowers others.
• Develops Talent: Actively seeks opportunities to develop oneself and others.
• Courage: Tackles difficult issues timely with optimism and transparency.

About Driscoll's

Driscoll's is the global market leader for fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll's is passionate about growing fresh, beautiful and delicious berries. Our values of humility, passion and trustworthiness have guided our mission to delight consumers around the world. Driscoll's exclusive patented berry varieties are developed through years of research using only natural breeding methods – meaning, no GMOs. From farm-to-table, we focus on delivering a high quality, premium berry experience with our many supply chain partners. Driscoll's is the trusted brand for Only the Finest Berries.