Operations Director
This is a senior leadership role overseeing a 24/7 manual production environment, including production, dispatch, and store operations. The Operations Director will lead a team of employees, focusing on performance, development, and continuous improvement to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality products in line with the company vision.
The Role:
Main responsibilities include ensuring full Health and Safety compliance while driving continuous improvement in this area, preparing operational plans, and leading teams to achieve efficient, cost-effective operations. The Operations Director will be accountable for meeting quality standards, delivering production targets, and managing KPIs across all departments, with clear accountability and performance monitoring.
The role emphasizes continuous improvement through the implementation of SMART targets, effective project management, accurate documentation, waste reduction, and preventative maintenance planning. Coordination with maintenance contractors and internal stakeholders is vital to minimizing downtime and operational costs.
As part of the senior management team, the Operations Director will collaborate closely with other leaders to achieve annual site objectives, live out company values, and foster a culture of employee engagement. A key focus will be on training and development to ensure teams possess the skills needed for efficient operations. Clear performance expectations and accountability structures will be established to ensure team success.
The Person:
The ideal candidate is self-motivated, with proven experience in fresh food manufacturing operations, and strong knowledge of production processes, Health & Safety standards, and LEAN methodologies. They should demonstrate strong leadership, organisational, communication, and commercial skills, with the ability to manage cross-functional teams. A minimum of 3–4 years in an operations/production management role is required, along with a results-driven mindset and a commitment to operational excellence.
Key Skills:
* Proven experience in production management
* Strong knowledge of production processes
* Health & Safety standards
* LEAN methodologies
* Leadership and organisational skills
* Communication and commercial skills