Head of Operations - Group Commissary

The Wonderfield Group has recently been purchased by Zensho Holdings, the leading food service company in Japan with a market cap of $5.5b and whose aim is to become the world's largest food company, a position from which we can eradicate hunger and poverty from around the globe. We operate restaurants, factories, and thousands of sushi kiosks and have recently built a successful cut fruit business, Snowfruit. Combining this with the three businesses previously owned by Zensho, AFC, Sushi Circle and Sushi Take, results in annual sales of $2.5b and Ebitda in excess of $140m a year with an ambitious growth trajectory.

What You’ll Need

• Qualifications: Degree in Food Science, Engineering, Operations Management or related field. CI qualifications (e.g. Six Sigma Green/Black Belt) highly desirable.
• Experience: 5+ years’ experience in food manufacturing or production operations, ideally with exposure to commissary or central kitchen environments. Strong hands-on understanding of floor operations, QA, and food safety systems. Cross-functional collaboration experience across technical, procurement, and commercial teams. Exposure to end-to-end supply chain dynamics. International experience or flexibility to work across regions.
• Behavioural Attributes: Can-Do Attitude: Proactive, self-starting, and solutions-focused. Credible & Collaborative: Able to influence peers and senior leaders without authority. Detail-Oriented: Thorough and disciplined in following up on execution. Resilient: Thrives in fast-paced, ambiguous, and change-heavy environments. Curious & Growth-Oriented: Eager to learn, improve, and eventually step into a larger leadership role.

The Head of Operations – Group Commissary is a critical new role supporting the Group Chief Commissaries Operating Officer in delivering scalable, high-quality, and efficient production across Wonderfield’s global commissary network. The role provides operational leadership across our expanding footprint in North America, Europe, and the UK, and will play a pivotal role in futureproofing the function by acting as a potential successor. This role will require regular international travel.

With a focus on execution, quality, and collaboration, this is a hands-on role designed to accelerate improvement projects, support new facility set-ups, and strengthen end-to-end operational performance across the Group’s central kitchens.

The 5 Best Things About The Role:

• Work at the heart of a global food business, driving operational excellence across multiple regions.
• Partner closely with a seasoned and respected global leader, with the opportunity to learn, grow, and eventually step into a larger remit.
• Help shape and deliver the next generation of commissary operations in the US, UK, and Europe.
• Blend strategic oversight with boots-on-the-floor engagement in a role that requires initiative and drive.
• Influence performance, cost, quality, and team capability across some of the Group’s most complex assets.

Key Accountabilities:

• Operational Support & Uplift: Provide direct support to the Group Chief Commissaries Operating Officer.