Manufacturing Excellence Manager

We are a premium chocolate manufacturer established in 1845 operating in over 86 countries around the World. Guided by our Global purpose to Enchant the World with Chocolate and UK vision of Creating Moments to Make Everyone Feel Special, we have around 400 team members in the UK across our Head Office, Retail, and Field Sales divisions. We are a Top 20 Great Place to Work and are proud of our incredible people, our unique values-led culture and our iconic market leading brands such as LINDOR & GOLD BUNNY.

We're also proud of being one of the few 'bean-to-bar' chocolate makers in the world, where we control every step of our chocolate production.

In this role you will be rresponsible for delivering manufacturing excellence across all UK co‑packing operations, including full ownership of SRP and FDU execution, material readiness, pricing governance, and operational performance at 3PL sites. Leads the Supply Chain infrastructure and systems project agenda, driving digitalisation, capability building, and continuous improvement to deliver best‑in‑class results.

This role is based in Richmond Upon Thames, London (Hybrid Working: in the office 60% and WFH 40%)

• Lead 3PL execution of SRP co‑packing and FDU co‑packing, ensuring timely, accurate, and cost‑effective delivery
• Ensure material readiness, combining product, packaging, and operational planning to ensure flawless execution at 3PL sites
• Lead internal and external teams to deliver the highest‑quality output at the lowest cost
• Govern all co‑pack KPIs, including service, quality, cost, and productivity
• Ensure co‑pack plans align with demand, capacity, and commercial priorities
• Drive operational discipline, daily management routines, and structured problem‑solving at the 3PL

• Fully own the quotation process for all co‑packing activities (SRP & FDU).
• Agree, challenge, and communicate pricing with all relevant stakeholders
• Negotiate best‑value rates with 3PL partners, supported by Procurement where required
• Implement approved price changes through a robust, compliant, and auditable process
• Lead the execution, documentation, and sign‑off of all pricing changes
• Ensure pricing governance aligns with commercial, financial, and Supply Chain requirements

• Act as project lead for all Supply Chain infrastructure and systems development initiatives
• Drive digitalisation and Industry 4.0‑aligned improvements, maximising the potential of 3PL systems such as Blue Yonder, Nulogy, and Centiro
• Lead cross‑functional teams to design, implement, and optimise systems that enhance visibility, accuracy, and operational performance
• Own project governance, risk management, timelines, and stakeholder communication
• Build long‑term capability and ensure new systems are scalable, compliant, and future‑proof

• Lead all manufacturing‑related elements of NPD implementation at 3PL sites
• Ensure robust processes, clearly communicated timelines and lead times, and effective coordination across manual and automated production lines
• Ensure capital investments are effectively utilised through optimal line selection, run strategy, and operational readiness
• Validate packaging, materials, and operational processes ahead of launch
• Challenge costs, timings, and feasibility to ensure commercially viable outcomes
• Partner with Marketing, Procurement, and Planning to ensure flawless execution of new product introductions
• Govern change management, trials, and first production runs

• Develop and embed a LEAN culture and continuous improvement mindset across co‑packing operations
• Lead loss‑mapping, root‑cause analysis, and structured problem‑solving to drive performance improvement
• Implement LPW and other CI methodologies to deliver measurable gains in quality, cost, service, and productivity
• Lead daily, weekly, and monthly operational review routines with 3PL partners
• Drive KPI governance, ensuring…