Operations Manager in Gifford

Yester Farm Dairies is a family-run dairy business based at Yester Mains Farm in East Lothian, specialising in fresh, premium dairy products including cottage cheese. The business is entering a significant growth phase, with investment in production capacity, facilities, equipment, people and systems.

The Operations Director will provide practical, day-to-day leadership across the operational side of the business, helping the Managing Director maintain control, pace and confidence as the company scales. This is a hands-on senior role in a growing business. The successful candidate must be a calm, reliable and commercially aware operator — a safe pair of hands who can bring structure, discipline and accountability without losing the practical, family-business culture that makes Yester Farm Dairies distinctive.

Qualifications

• Essential
• Senior operational leadership experience in food manufacturing; dairy, chilled or short-shelf-life experience would be highly relevant.
• Strong day-to-day site management capability, with the confidence to lead production, quality, supply chain, logistics and people priorities.
• Proven ability to work under pressure in a hands-on SME or owner-managed business environment.
• Track record of creating structure, routines, KPIs and accountability in a growing operation.
• Good working knowledge of food safety systems, HACCP, BRCGS or equivalent standards, and UK food manufacturing requirements.
• Practical project management skills, ideally including equipment installation, process improvement or capacity expansion.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of cost, waste, labour, yield and service performance.
• Clear, direct communication style, with the judgement to escalate appropriately and bring recommended solutions.
• Desirable
• Experience of cottage cheese, fresh dairy, soft cheese or cultured products.
• Exposure to UK grocery, foodservice or chilled supply chains.
• Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement or similar practical improvement experience.
• Experience helping a small food manufacturing business scale while maintaining standards and culture.

Personal Attributes

• A genuine safe pair of hands: calm, steady, dependable and trusted. Sense of humour essential too!
• Comfortable acting as the MD’s right hand — proactive, loyal, discreet and able to operate with high levels of trust.
• Hands-on and pragmatic, with no ego about getting involved in the detail.
• Able to prioritise quickly and keep people focused when demands are high.
• Firm but fair; able to hold people accountable without damaging relationships.
• Respectful of Yester’s family-business culture, provenance, quality and commitment to fresh, local dairy production.

This Role Will Suit Someone Who

• Succeeded as a site/operations lead, general manager or trusted deputy in a food manufacturing environment.
• Enjoys being close to the detail and making visible improvements every day.
• Can move comfortably between factory floor, team and senior management conversations to supplier discussions.
• Wants to help build a stronger operating structure in a growing business, rather than simply maintain an established corporate system.

Remuneration & Benefits

Yester Farm Dairies will offer a competitive package reflective of the importance of the role and the calibre of candidate.

• Base Salary: £70,000 - £75,000 per annum
• Performance Bonus: Up to 15-20% of base salary linked to KPI achievement and business performance
• Other benefits: Pension, Private health care considered and further benefits under review as business scales including equity participation to attract an exceptional candidate.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted with a CV and a short covering note outlining relevant operational leadership experience and motivation for joining Yester Farm Dairies at this stage of growth. EMail: Yester Farm Dairies is an equal opportunities employer.