At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operations in a dynamic manufacturing unit, ensuring top-notch product delivery and team performance.
- Company: Join Greencore, a leading UK convenience food creator with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, holidays, pension, life insurance, and exclusive employee discounts.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while driving operational excellence.
- Qualifications: Experience in FMCG manufacturing, leadership skills, and health & safety certification required.
- Other info: Gain on-the-job training and career development opportunities in a supportive workplace.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Why Greencore? Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we are one of the UK’s leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make every day taste better. As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we are proud to employ over 28,000 talented colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and the US. Together, we bring delicious food to life. Our products cover every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner and dessert, with lunch and snacking in between. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve combined revenues of approximately £4bn.
Our extensive direct to store (DTS) network, with 17 depots across the UK, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring consumers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop. Here at Selby, we employ a team of over 750 colleagues. A site steeped in history, we are the UK’s number one manufacturer of customer private label cooking sauces and pickles. We have been serving our customers out of our Selby site since 1914. We produce more than 160 million units per year across 600 different product lines for customers such as Morrisons, Tesco & Asda.
What you’ll be doing: As Operations Controller, you will lead the operations function for the manufacturing unit (people, process and product) that delivers the required KPIs across all shifts, enabling the delivery of operational objectives to exceed customer expectations. Reporting into the site GM, you will be a key member of the SLT (Site Leadership Team).
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the manufacturing unit business plan in order to achieve the manufacturing EBIT/productivity objectives.
- Control manufacturing spend, within sign off limits, to ensure that costs are aligned with business requirements and the agreed budget.
- Co-ordinate, and take corrective action, to ensure all elements of operations are integrated and being utilised through cost efficient processes which deliver product to manufacturing food safety and customer standards.
- Implement health safety and environment plan and manage performance across the operational teams in order to enhance colleagues’ health and safety wellbeing in the workplace.
- Identify and prioritise capex projects that deliver the efficiency plan.
- Consult and advise with relevant departments to ensure the effective and efficient use of all new capital investment projects/machinery to deliver best operational advantage.
- Highlight bottleneck processes and take mitigating action that will deliver labour/waste targets.
- Provide inspirational leadership and direction to the operational community to ensure that people are kept safe, engaged, focused and delivering to their potential.
What we’re looking for: We’re proud to be recognised in the Gender Equity Measure Top 100 for our commitment to gender equality.
- Experience of leading manufacturing teams in an FMCG environment.
- Holds a level 3 Health and Safety certificate, is IOSH certified and trained in legionella duty holder awareness as a deputy.
- Experience of working with customers and being accountable for customer service.
- Analytical skills and ability.
- Experience of planning and implementing initiatives in a complex manufacturing organisation.
- Knowledge and experience of modern manufacturing methodologies and systems planning.
- Experience in leading business improvement activities, skilled in managing projects through to deployment.
- Experience in Operational Excellence would be a bonus.
If this sounds like you, join us and grow with Greencore, and be a part of driving our future success.
What you’ll get in return: Competitive salary and job-related benefits, Holidays, Pension up to 8% matched, Life insurance up to 4x salary, Company share save scheme, Exclusive Greencore employee discount platform, Access to a full Wellbeing Centre platform, Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies. Throughout your time at Greencore, you will be supported with on the job training and development opportunities to further your career.
Operations Controller employer: Greencore
Contact Detail:
Greencore Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Controller
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Greencore on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give us insider info about the company culture and maybe even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research Greencore's products and recent news. We want to show that we’re genuinely interested in making every day taste better.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Get a friend to do a mock interview with us. This will help us articulate our experience and how it aligns with the Operations Controller role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure our application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we can keep track of our application status easily!
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Controller
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Operations Controller role. Highlight your experience in leading manufacturing teams and any relevant certifications, like your Health and Safety qualifications. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about working with us at Greencore and how you can contribute to our mission of making every day taste better. Keep it engaging and personal!
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your past roles, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your analytical skills and ability to improve processes. We love seeing numbers and results, so don’t hold back on sharing your successes!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll find all the info you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Greencore
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Operations Controller, you'll need to demonstrate your analytical skills. Brush up on key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to manufacturing and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive improvements in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
You'll be leading teams, so it's crucial to convey your leadership approach. Prepare examples of how you've inspired and engaged teams in the past, especially in a fast-paced FMCG environment. Think about specific challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
✨Understand Health and Safety Standards
With a focus on health and safety, make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and best practices. Be prepared to discuss your experience with health and safety initiatives and how you've implemented them in previous roles.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Think about potential bottlenecks in operations and how you would address them. Practising these scenarios can help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.