Group Operations Manager

Craigmore Group; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle

Superannuation

Job summary

Craigmore Group is seeking an experienced Group Operations Manager to lead the Laverton (AU) and Christchurch (NZ) manufacturing sites, driving operational excellence, safety, quality and CI.

Reporting to the CEO with four functional leads, you'll own OEE, cost per tonne, CAPEX delivery and long-term standards, shaping culture and performance across two high‑performing sites.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' dairy powder or dry blending manufacturing experience.
• Multi-site leadership across AU + NZ preferred.
• Deep knowledge of blending, dosing, mixing, grinding, drying, coating or cooling operations.
• Proven ability to drive LEAN manufacturing and continuous improvement.
• Experience overseeing Operations, Warehousing and Quality functions.
• Excellent communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day Operations across two sites (AU and NZ) with structured CI programs.
• Oversee Warehousing, Quality and HSE functions and ensure compliance.
• Drive site budgets, a 3-year capital plan and Capex delivery.
• Champion a proactive safety culture and WHS/OHS compliance.
• Coach and develop cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

Skills

LEAN manufacturing

Multi-site leadership

Operations management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Microsoft 365

Tools

WMS (Warehouse Management System)

Microsoft 365

Job description

150,000 to 170,000 + super + company vehicle

Craigmore Group is recruiting on behalf of a leading player in dairy and animal nutrition manufacturing, known for quality, innovation and a strong values driven culture. Our client is now seeking an experienced Group Operations Manager to lead their Laverton (Australia) and Christchurch (NZ) sites, driving operational excellence, safety, quality and continuous improvement across both facilities.

This is a pivotal, senior operational role reporting to the CEO, with four functional leads reporting directly to you across Operations, Warehousing, Quality and HSE.

Why You'll Love This Role

• Lead two high performing manufacturing sites across Australia and New Zealand
• Shape culture, capability and continuous improvement across Operations, Warehouse, Quality & HSE
• Own OEE performance, efficiency uplift and cost per tonne targets
• Drive strategic planning, capital programs and long term operational standards
• Work with a collaborative leadership team in a values driven business
• Make a real impact in a growing, specialised manufacturing environment

What You'll Be Doing

You’ll lead day to day Operations, Warehousing, Quality and HSE across both sites – running structured Continuous Improvement programs (Kaizen/5S/TPM), benchmarking performance between sites and driving OEE, tonnes-per-shift and cost per tonne results. You’ll champion a proactive safety culture and ensure compliance with WHS/OHS, HACCP and FeedSafe requirements, while overseeing warehousing accuracy, WMS compliance and SLA performance. You’ll coach and develop your team, build strong cross‑functional relationships across Technical, Commercial and Procurement, and lead strategic planning – including site budgets, a 3-year capital plan and Capex delivery.

What You’ll Bring

• 10+ years' experience in dairy powder or dry blending manufacturing
• Deep knowledge of blending, dosing, mixing, grinding, drying, coating or cooling operations
• Proven multi‑site leadership experience (ideally AU + NZ)
• Strong understanding of LEAN manufacturing
• Experience overseeing Operations, Warehouse and Quality functions
• Excellent communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills
• Strong mechanical aptitude and systems/IT capability (Microsoft 365)
• High integrity, reliability and attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure and drive continuous improvement