Head of Operations- Food

Head of Operations-Food

Purpose of the Role

Reporting to the General Manager the Head of Operations is responsible for optimising production, quality, supply chain performance, and service delivery across all manufacturing activities. The role oversees end-to-end operations-from raw material intake through to finished delivery-while driving people performance, operational excellence, and strong stakeholder relationships. A key focus is fostering a high-performing, safety-first culture across multiple sites and teams.

Core Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Develop and execute operations strategies aligned with overall business objectives.

• Lead the creation and delivery of annual operations plans, including performance reviews across all functions.

• Ensure effective succession planning and talent development.

• Drive a customer-focused culture that empowers teams to deliver high-quality service.

• Develop cost-effective capital and maintenance plans to support site infrastructure.

People, Planning & Performance

• Implement an integrated S&OP process that strengthens cross-functional accountability.

• Establish and track KPIs to improve operational efficiency and decision-making.

• Manage budgets, cost control, and financial performance across operations.

Continuous Improvement & Compliance

• Lead CI, asset management, and quality assurance programmes.

• Deliver savings through energy efficiency, optimisation, and sustainability initiatives.

• Ensure compliance with environmental, regulatory, and industry standards for feed production.

• Lead ongoing change management across teams and processes

Environmental Health & Safety

• Champion a Zero Harm safety culture across all operations.

• Maintain compliance with all relevant environmental and safety regulations.

• Lead incident reporting, corrective action, and safety performance processes.

Communication & Engagement

• Promote organisational values and drive high engagement across teams.

• Lead communication strategies with members, customers, and internal stakeholders.

• Provide strategic insights to senior leadership for informed decision-making.

Financial & Credit Management

• Ensure customer accounts are managed in line with credit policies.

Maintenance & Asset Care

• Lead implementation of maintenance systems and asset-care standards.

• Use CI tools to enhance process, material, and operational efficiency.

Quality & Compliance

• Oversee all regulatory requirements for feed production and delivery.

• Ensure effective hygiene, calibration, and product-integrity programmes.

Note: Additional reasonable duties may be assigned. Full adherence to Environmental, Health & Safety and Quality requirements is expected.

Requirements

• Reports to: General Manager

• Direct Reports: Production, Maintenance, Operations, Logistics, CI, Analytical Services

• Key Interactions: Operations teams, commercial teams, health & safety, technical advisors

• Qualifications: Relevant 3rd-level qualification (e.g., Engineering, Business, Food Science)

• Experience: 10+ years in relevant operational leadership roles