Operations Manager

Operations Manager - Food Manufacturing

An extremely well-respected UK brand is offering a rare and exciting opportunity for a strategic, hands-on leader to join our team at our West Midlands site. This position is ideal for an experienced professional ready to make a significant impact—optimising key processes for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and compliance while embedding a world-class culture of safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Role Purpose

The Site Leader / Operations Director is responsible for leading the full spectrum of site operations, ensuring outstanding performance across operational effectiveness, cost control, safety, culture, and customer experience. You will champion continuous improvement, high-performing teams, and best-in-class standards across all areas of the business.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

* Lead all site functions including Operations, Quality, Distribution, Planning, Safety & Wellbeing, Customer Service, and Business Process Management.

* Drive operational efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity, ensuring the achievement of financial and performance targets.

* Embed a Best Practice approach across the site, supporting company-wide initiatives and driving continuous improvement.

Strategic & Cross-Functional Influence

* Build strong relationships across internal departments, customers, suppliers, strategic partners, and other key stakeholders.

* Ensure excellent collaboration between business units to support seamless operational execution.

Culture, Leadership & People Development

* Champion the company’s vision, values, and culture, acting as a role model for integrity, accountability, and high standards.

* Work closely with HR and L&D to develop effective recruitment, training, engagement, and retention strategies.

* Provide coaching and leadership development to your on-site leadership team to build capability, engagement, and organisational effectiveness.

* Drive cultural evolution and leadership excellence to help create a differentiated customer and employee experience.

Compliance, Quality & Safety

* Ensure full compliance with all legal, regulatory, and statutory obligations.

* Oversee technical operations to guarantee that all facilities, processes, and procedures meet the highest safety, quality, and environmental standards.

* Foster a culture of continuous improvement in health, safety, and wellbeing across the site.

About You

* A proven senior operations leader within manufacturing, supply chain, food production, or a related industry.

* Demonstrated expertise in transforming operational performance and leading multifunctional teams.

* Strong background in continuous improvement, Lean, best-practice methodologies, and cost optimisation.

* An exceptional people leader with a track record of coaching, developing, and engaging teams.

* Adept at managing complex stakeholder relationships and driving cross-functional alignment.

* Passionate about creating a culture of safety, quality, and excellence