Head of Operations; Food Manufacturing

We are partnering with an established UK food manufacturing business operating a large, high-volume site in the North West. It is well invested, with the scale and complexity to offer a genuinely senior operational leadership challenge.

Reporting to the General Manager, the Head of Operations will be responsible for the day-to-day operational performance of the site. This is a visible, hands‑on role, leading large teams and setting clear expectations around standards, pace, and accountability.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ownership of site operational performance across safety, quality, service, cost, and efficiency
• Driving improvements in asset reliability, labour effectiveness, and schedule adherence
• Establishing clear KPIs, routines, and operational discipline
• Working closely with functional colleagues to deliver continuous improvement
• Supporting delivery of site-level operational plans and priorities

This role will suit an experienced operations leader from a high-volume food or FMCG manufacturing environment, comfortable running complex, asset‑intensive operations.

Key criteria include:

• Proven track record in senior operational leadership roles
• Experience improving reliability, efficiency, and operational control
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience leading large work forces
• Structured, pragmatic approach with a bias to action
• Commercially aware and comfortable operating under pressure
• Experience in own‑label or customer‑led manufacturing environments is beneficial

This is an opportunity to step into a senior operations role with real responsibility, scale, and scope to influence business performance.