Head of Operations

drnewitt.vincere.io; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The Head of Operations role is to take end‑to‑end accountability for production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics, reporting to the CEO as a core member of the SLT.

This position requires hands‑on leadership on the factory floor and strategic oversight to scale operations in a fast‑paced SME food business, balancing service, quality and profitability.

You will lead continuous improvement, build capability and manage capital investment and customer launches to support growth.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience within food manufacturing.
• Accountability beyond production into warehousing, inventory, stock control, dispatch and logistics.
• Strong capacity planning across labour, shifts, equipment, storage and transport.
• Track record of scaling, transforming or significantly improving an operation.
• Operational control across health & safety, quality, service, labour efficiency, waste and cost.
• Good commercial/financial understanding and impact of operational decisions on profitability.
• Strong people leadership and development of managers.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics.
• Develop and implement the operational strategy to support rapid growth.
• Build capacity plans covering labour, shifts, equipment, production capability, storage and transport.
• Ensure performance meets safety, quality, service, efficiency, waste and cost standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across end-to-end operation.
• Establish KPIs and accountability across operational teams.
• Develop and strengthen the management team with clear ownership.

Skills

Senior leadership

Food manufacturing

Warehousing & logistics

Capacity planning

Operational transformation

Data‑driven

Stakeholder management

Job description

Location: East-Midlands

Reporting to: CEO

The Opportunity

Our client is looking to welcome an experienced Head of Operations to take overall responsibility for the operational performance of a fast-growing food manufacturing business.

Reporting directly to the CEO and operating as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will have end-to-end accountability across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics.

This is a pivotal role for an operational leader who can bring the structure, capability, commercial focus and operational discipline required to support significant growth.

The successful candidate will ideally have a proven track record of scaling or transforming operations within a fast-paced, entrepreneurial SME environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics.
• Develop and implement the operational strategy required to support rapid and sustainable business growth.
• Build robust capacity plans covering labour, shifts, equipment, production capability, storage and transport.
• Ensure operational performance consistently meets the required standards for safety, quality, service, efficiency, waste and cost.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the end-to-end operation.
• Establish clear performance measures, KPIs and accountability across operational teams.
• Develop and strengthen the management team, creating a high-performing culture with clear ownership and responsibility.
• Work closely with the CEO and wider SLT on commercial, financial and strategic decisions.
• Support major customer launches, operational change programmes and capital investment projects.
• Ensure the operation is appropriately structured, resourced and equipped to support future growth.
• Maintain a strong presence on the factory floor, providing hands‑on leadership while operating effectively at strategic and board-level discussions.
• Identify operational risks and opportunities proactively, developing practical solutions before issues become critical.

Essential Experience & Capabilities

The successful candidate will have:

• Senior leadership experience within food manufacturing.
• Proven accountability extending beyond production into warehousing, inventory, stock control, dispatch and logistics.
• Strong experience of capacity planning across labour, shifts, equipment, storage and transport.
• A demonstrable track record of successfully scaling, transforming or significantly improving an operation.
• Strong operational control across health & safety, quality, customer service, labour efficiency, waste and cost.
• Good commercial and financial understanding, with the ability to understand how operational decisions impact profitability and business performance.
• Strong people leadership skills, with a track record of developing managers and building capable, accountable teams.
• The credibility and practical understanding to lead effectively from the factory floor, combined with the strategic capability to operate as a member of the SLT.

The Ideal Candidate

You are likely to be someone who:

• Has worked within a growing, entrepreneurial SME, ideally in a high-paced food manufacturing environment.
• Has experience supporting significant customer launches, business growth and/or major capital investment.
• Is data-led, proactive and solutions-focused, using information to drive better operational decisions.
• Brings structure and discipline without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Builds strong management capability rather than relying on constant firefighting.
• Is commercially minded and understands the balance between service, growth, quality, people and profitability.
• Is comfortable working at both a strategic level and getting directly involved in operational challenges when required.
• Has the energy, resilience and leadership style needed to take an operation through a significant period of growth and change.