Operations Director

Regular travel to our sites across the UK.

Suga Rich is one of the UK's leading circular economy businesses. We recover surplus food and food manufacturing by-products and transform them into high-quality nutritional ingredients for the animal feed sector. It is practical sustainability at scale: reducing waste, supporting agriculture and creating value from resources that might otherwise be lost.

We are looking for an Operations Director who is excited by big challenges, visible leadership and the chance to shape a growing national operation. If you enjoy bringing people, performance and purpose together, this is an opportunity to make your mark.

Reporting to the Managing Director and working as part of the Executive Leadership Team, you will lead manufacturing operations across seven UK sites, from Falkirk to Harlow. You will set the direction for safe, compliant and efficient operations while helping our teams deliver outstanding results across safety, quality, service, cost, sustainability and people development.

This is not a role for leading from a distance. You will be visible across the network, supporting site leaders, turning strategy into action and creating the conditions for people and operations to thrive.

• Provide clear leadership and direction across all seven UK manufacturing sites.

• Develop and deliver manufacturing strategies aligned with wider business objectives.

• Lead operational performance reviews, create clear accountability and keep improvement moving.

• Deliver production plans safely, efficiently and cost-effectively.

• Hold executive responsibility for Health & Safety performance across the manufacturing network.

• Champion a proactive safety culture built around visible leadership, behavioural safety and continuous improvement.

• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, company policies, customer requirements and industry standards.

• Maintain and strengthen accreditation and environmental systems, including BRC, FEMAS and ISO 14001.

• Manage operational budgets and capital expenditure programmes.

• Lead site investment, development and manufacturing improvement projects.

• Improve efficiency, productivity, asset utilisation, inventory and working capital performance.

• Embed data-driven decision-making and sustainable continuous improvement across the network.

• Lead, coach and develop Site Managers and operational leadership teams.

• Build succession plans, strengthen leadership capability and develop future leaders.

• Create an inclusive, positive and engaging environment where people understand how they contribute.

• Lead cultural change with energy, consistency and genuine care for people.

• Partner with Commercial, Supply Chain, Technical, Finance and People teams.

• Bring an operational voice to strategic business planning and Executive Leadership Team decisions.

• Build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• At least five years of experience in a senior operational leadership or executive role.

• Significant multi-site manufacturing leadership experience.

• A background in FMCG, food manufacturing, feed manufacturing, ingredients, recycling, process manufacturing or a closely related sector.

• Proven responsibility for manufacturing performance, safety, quality and operational delivery.

• Experience managing substantial operating budgets and capital investment programmes.

• A track record of delivering operational improvement, transformation and cultural change.

• Visible, energetic and able to inspire people across a geographically dispersed operation.

• Strategic and commercially aware, while still comfortable getting close to day-to-day operational challenges.

• Decisive, resilient and calm under pressure.

• An excellent communicator who can engage and influence at every level.

• Passionate about coaching, developing people and building high-performing teams.

• Analytical, practical and relentless about making things better.

• A degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related discipline.

• NEBOSH Diploma or an equivalent Health & Safety qualification.

• A Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or Continuous Improvement qualification.

• Chartered status or relevant professional…