Assistant Operations Manager

Do you have the passion and desire to constantly strive for better? Have genuine care for dogs, their humans and our team (squad members), want to create a best in class customer experience and all whilst making it a great place to work. Then this is the job for you!

As a Production Team Leader, you will lead a team to deliver our production plan to feed our happy and healthy dogs. Doing this whilst driving high team performance, embracing all aspects of the culture and functional requirements, making continuous improvements and elevating us to the next level. Reporting into the Shift Operations Manager, you’ll support the daily operations and ensure our dogs are provided with the very best human-quality meals.

• Accountable for our health and safety standards on shift, the upkeep and delivery through conducting daily Health and Safety audits with your Squad members, raising corrective actions to any nasties you may find and owning the resolution.
• Be competent in completing thorough Accident Investigations through root cause analysis and completing near-miss reports. Ensuring that corrective actions are raised and closed out in a timely manner.
• Review training and development of staff through all areas of the kitchen by ensuring that Squad members are trained against relevant SOPs and other required training and documentation.
• Ensure that labour is managed effectively to ensure production can be maintained through the management of holidays and absences. Proactively managing and identifying issues.
• Quality & hygiene standards are increasingly important to us, so we ensure that GMP standards are maintained at all times. As well as verification of IMS checks from the cooking of our products to the cleaning of all our equipment.
• Provide supervision, support and leadership to the Production team in pursuit of key operational metrics of quality, output and waste. Ensuring that you are reactive in times of deviations from the agreed targets.
• Have had some experience in leading continuous improvements and problem‑solving initiatives, which contribute to savings within the department/company.

• Be able to communicate clearly and effectively with the SLT team when needed, particularly in times when the Shift Operations Manager may be away from the business.
• Ensure daily handovers between departments are completed – ensuring the relevant detail is captured so each shift oncoming is a success.
• Work closely with the procurement and planning team to ensure meal output meets sales demand.
• Work well with multiple functional teams, including People, Engineering, Technical, Warehouse and Order fulfilment to drive well thought‑out and cohesive plans.

• Understanding that squad member engagement drives operational excellence and People Leaders play a crucial role in making Butternut Box the best place they’ve ever worked.
• Be present in the Kitchen, ensuring you are available to proactively support the team, help find solutions and take action to change.
• Messages and key communications are delivered to the teams and key stakeholders in a timely and accurate manner. You’ll have an excellent awareness of how your communication style impacts others, and you’ll tailor this to your audience.
• Confidently undertake meaningful and regular 1:1’s with Squad members, ensuring they feel heard and that their feedback is important to you. You’ll consider their career aspirations, skills and background and tailor your style to their needs.
• Strong production background in an FMCG manufacturing environment.
• Experience in a high-speed volume manufacturing environment.
• Leadership experience with a broad working knowledge of relevant safety legislation.
• Pragmatic, adaptable, resilient and humble.
• Well-practised planning, organisation and scheduling skills.
• Someone who loves the pace and excitement of FMCG manufacturing.
• Hungry for a challenge and keen to build something from the ground up.
• Easily approachable with good interpersonal skills, with creative thinking and analytical skills.
• Drives for results, action-oriented, problem-solving, and priority setting.
• Loves dogs (naturally).