Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a complex food manufacturing facility and drive high-performance across multiple functions.
- Company: Dynamic FMCG company committed to sustainable performance and strong leadership.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, investment in equipment, and support from engaged C-suite team.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by elevating site performance and fostering a zero-harm culture.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in food manufacturing leadership and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a supportive environment with a clear capital roadmap.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
This is not a role where you inherit a smooth-running machine and simply keep it ticking over. This is a role where your leadership will truly matter. In this role you will take full accountability for a large, highly complex, 24/7 food manufacturing facility. The site brings together multiple functions – Production, Engineering, Logistics, Health & Safety and Continuous Improvement and your role will be to align them behind one clear, high-performance vision.
You will set the tone. From early morning production reviews to strategic conversations at board level, you will move confidently between the shop floor and the senior leadership team. You will know your numbers – labour, materials, overheads – and you will know your people. This is a role that requires both operational grip and emotional intelligence.
The Environment
This is complex FMCG manufacturing at scale. The site produces a broad mix of branded and own-label products for major retail customers, operating in a high-SKU, high-volume environment where expectations are uncompromising. Audit standards are rigorous. Food safety is non-negotiable.
The manufacturing processes themselves demand strong technical understanding and operational discipline, including extrusion technology and other specialist production systems. Balancing safety, quality, cost and delivery without allowing one to compromise another is the daily challenge. For the right leader, it is exactly the kind of environment that energises rather than intimidates.
Key Responsibilities
- Your remit will span the full spectrum of site leadership.
- You will champion a zero-harm culture, ensuring health, safety and environmental standards are not just policies on paper, but lived behaviours across the operation.
- At the same time, you will ensure absolute compliance with food safety legislation and customer requirements, protecting both the consumer and the reputation of the business.
- Financial performance will sit firmly within your control. Delivering the in-year budget across labour, raw materials and overheads will require discipline, data-led decision-making and close collaboration with your senior team.
- Service performance and schedule adherence will demand structure and pace, particularly within a fast-moving retail supply environment.
- Beyond the numbers, your impact will be cultural. The site has strong foundations, but like many complex operations, it needs alignment, clarity and consistency.
- You will build a leadership team that is accountable, engaged and visible. You will strengthen succession planning and capability development.
- You will foster constructive union relationships built on openness and mutual respect.
- You will work collaboratively with peers across the wider group, sharing best practice and contributing to a broader operational strategy that extends beyond one site.
The Person
We are looking for a senior food manufacturing leader who has walked this path before. You will have operated at site leadership level within a complex FMCG environment and will be able to demonstrate tangible improvements in KPIs, culture and commercial performance. Continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma or TPM will not just be qualifications on your CV — they will be tools you have actively used to deliver change.
You will understand the dynamics of unionised environments and know how to build constructive, solutions-focused relationships. Financial acumen will be second nature, as will the ability to translate strategy into operational reality.
Most importantly, you will be a leader people choose to follow. Visible. Credible. Calm under pressure. Comfortable influencing at board level, yet equally present on the shop floor. Someone who develops others, sets clear expectations and holds themselves — and their team to high standards.
Investment & Support
This business understands that sustainable performance does not happen by accident – it happens through investment and strong leadership. There is a clear capital roadmap in place, with meaningful investment being directed into equipment, automation, systems and site capability. This includes enhancements to technical processing areas such as extrusion-based manufacturing, alongside broader operational improvements designed to strengthen efficiency and resilience.
Importantly, the support is real. The C-suite team are engaged, visible and pragmatic. They recognise both the strengths of the site and the challenges it has faced, and they are committed to building a stronger future.
This is a defining opportunity for an experienced food manufacturing General Manager who is motivated not just by running a site, but by elevating it.
General Manager in London employer: Zest Food Jobs
Contact Detail:
Zest Food Jobs Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land General Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at local events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that General Manager role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising your leadership stories. We want to hear about times you’ve turned a team around or improved KPIs. Make sure you can confidently discuss how you’ve balanced safety, quality, and cost in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Research the company culture and values before your interview. We need to see that you align with their vision and can contribute to building a strong, accountable leadership team. Show them you’re not just a fit for the role, but for the company too!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows you’re genuinely interested in the position and reinforces your leadership qualities. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take initiative!
We think you need these skills to ace General Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Leadership Style: In your application, let us see your unique leadership style shine through. Share examples of how you've led teams in complex environments and the impact you've made. We want to know how you set the tone and inspire others!
Know Your Numbers: Make sure to highlight your financial acumen in your written application. We’re looking for someone who knows their labour, materials, and overheads inside out. Use specific examples to demonstrate how you've managed budgets and improved KPIs.
Emphasise Continuous Improvement: Don’t forget to mention your experience with continuous improvement methodologies like Lean or Six Sigma. We love seeing how you've used these tools to drive change and enhance operational performance in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures it gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zest Food Jobs
✨Know Your Numbers
As a General Manager, you’ll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key metrics like labour costs, materials, and overheads. Be ready to discuss how you've managed budgets in the past and how you plan to ensure financial performance in this role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires a leader who can inspire and engage their team. Prepare examples of how you've built strong teams and fostered a positive culture in previous roles. Highlight your emotional intelligence and how it has helped you navigate complex environments.
✨Understand the Technical Side
Familiarise yourself with the technical processes relevant to food manufacturing, especially extrusion technology. Be prepared to discuss how your technical understanding has contributed to operational improvements and compliance with food safety standards.
✨Prepare for Cultural Alignment
The company is looking for someone who can align multiple functions behind a high-performance vision. Think about how you’ve successfully aligned teams in the past and be ready to share strategies for fostering collaboration and accountability across departments.
