Operations Manager in Hampshire

Location: Havant, Hampshire

Hybrid: 3/4 days on site, 1/2 from home.

Salary: £40,000 - £50,000 + Bonus

Ever walked into a business and immediately started spotting ways to make it run better? You know the type of thing. A process that could be simpler. A meeting that probably doesn't need to exist. A spreadsheet that only one person understands. A project that just needs to be toed over the line? A system that's held together by good intentions and someone saying, "Oh, Sarah normally sorts that." If you're the sort of person who naturally starts joining the dots and making things better, keep reading. Because this isn't a role where everything is already built. It's one where you'll help build what comes next.

Who is Vegeco? For over 20 years, Vegeco has been helping shape the ethical vegan pet food industry. We're both a manufacturer and a distributor, which means we understand every part of the journey. We manufacture our own brands, including Benevo, V-Dog and Pawtato, whilst also distributing trusted vegan pet food brands to retailers and businesses across the UK. We've built a fantastic reputation by doing things properly, looking after our customers and staying true to our ethical values. This is reflected in the many awards we have won throughout our trading history. What we haven't done is build a formal management structure. Until now. As we've continued to grow, we've reached the point where the business needs dedicated operational leadership to help take us through the next chapter. This is a brand-new role, working directly alongside our founders, helping create the structure, accountability and operational excellence that will support our future growth.

So what's the job? In short? You'll become the operational heartbeat of the business. You'll lead the day-to-day running of our operation, making sure people have clarity, priorities stay on track and the business continues to run smoothly as we grow. You'll oversee projects, improve processes, support our warehouse and production activities, work with suppliers, help coordinate new product launches and develop systems that make everyone's lives easier. You'll also lead our people day to day, coaching team members, partnering up with the commercial team, removing roadblocks and creating an environment where the team can do their best work. This isn't a role where you'll spend your life sitting in meetings- we need you to be the force that drives the actions after these meetings, and actively stopping us from sitting in inefficiencies. It's a role where you'll be out talking to people, solving problems, making decisions and helping move the business forward.

A quick reality check... We're a successful SME. That means we don't have endless departments, layers of management or expensive software doing all the heavy lifting. Some of our processes are brilliant. Some have simply evolved over twenty years because that's what happens when good businesses grow. We're looking for someone who enjoys rolling their sleeves up, getting stuck in and making things better. If you need every process to already exist before you arrive, this probably isn't the role for you. If creating those processes sounds exciting, you'll probably love it here.

What are we looking for? We're far more interested in how you work than where you've worked. You'll probably have experience leading operations within an SME, manufacturing, distribution, wholesale or FMCG environment, but we're open to different backgrounds if you've got the right mindset. You'll be someone who:

• Loves bringing structure to organised chaos.
• Can juggle multiple priorities without losing sight of the bigger picture.
• Enjoys improving processes rather than simply maintaining them.
• Is confident leading people with empathy and accountability.
• Is commercially aware and understands that operational excellence drives business success.
• Doesn't mind getting your hands dirty when the situation calls for it.

Most importantly, you'll enjoy building something rather than simply inheriting it.

What's in it for you? Alongside a salary of up to £50,000 with a bonus opportunity, you'll be joining a business with genuine purpose and a leadership team that's ready to invest in its future. We also have enhanced holidays, and all the usual benefits you can expect from a UK start up. You'll have the opportunity to shape how the business operates, influence key decisions and leave a lasting mark on a company that's spent over twenty years building an outstanding reputation within the ethical vegan pet food industry. You'll also be joining a small team where your work genuinely matters. No bureaucracy. No endless sign-off meetings. Just good people, doing good work, for a business that genuinely wants to keep getting better.

Sound like your kind of challenge? We'd love to hear from you. Apply today, and enter into our recruitment process. Which, by the way, we're keeping simple.

1. An initial chat with our outsourced HR manager, Kat, done virtually.
2. A second competency based interview with our founders, Damian and Darrell, again, virtually.
3. A final stage on site to meet the team, that will involve a presentation. Don't worry, you'll be briefed first!

Please note: we cannot accept applications for individuals who need sponsorship to work in the UK.