Head of Operations

Talent Guardian; Farnham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Guardian is seeking a commercially minded Head of Operations to lead the day‑to‑day running of a growing food and drink manufacturing facility in Farnham. You will combine strategic planning with a visible presence on the factory floor to ensure safe, efficient production and high quality standards.

In this senior role you will oversee manufacturing, bottling, warehousing, and a large multi‑disciplinary team, driving continuous improvement, managing budgets and KPIs, and supporting

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior production or operations leadership role within food or drink manufacturing.
• Experience leading large, shift-based teams and driving continuous improvement.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP and food safety legislation.
• Level 3+ HACCP qualification; IOSH Managing Safely advantageous.
• A full UK driving licence is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations across all shifts, ensuring labour, equipment and materials are used efficiently.
• Plan production alongside the supply chain team to meet customer demand and manage capacity.
• Lead and develop a large, multi-disciplinary production team.
• Troubleshoot operational issues and lead problem‑solving directly on the factory floor.
• Maintain high standards across food safety, quality, HACCP, GMP and health and safety.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste, improve efficiency and increase output.
• Manage labour efficiency, overtime, production costs and operational budgets.
• Develop and monitor KPIs covering output, waste, downtime and service levels.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and training across the production team.
• Work closely with Planning, Purchasing, Quality and Logistics.
• Support the continued growth and scaling of the manufacturing operation.

Skills

Leadership

Commercial acumen

Problem solving

Hands-on leadership

Calm under pressure

Education

Business Management / Food Science / Engineering degree

HACCP Level 3+

IOSH Managing Safely (advantageous)

Job description

We’re recruiting a commercially minded and hands‑on Head of Operations to lead the day‑to‑day running of a growing food and drink manufacturing facility in Farnham.

This is a senior leadership position covering the full production operation, from manufacturing and bottling through to warehousing. You’ll combine strategic planning with a visible presence on the factory floor, ensuring products are manufactured safely, efficiently and to the highest standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations across all shifts, ensuring labour, equipment and materials are used efficiently
• Plan production alongside the supply chain team to meet customer demand and manage capacity
• Lead and develop a large, multi-disciplinary production team
• Troubleshoot operational issues and lead problem‑solving directly on the factory floor
• Maintain high standards across food safety, quality, HACCP, GMP and health and safety
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste, improve efficiency and increase output
• Manage labour efficiency, overtime, production costs and operational budgets
• Develop and monitor KPIs covering output, waste, downtime and service levels
• Support recruitment, onboarding and training across the production team
• Work closely with Planning, Purchasing, Quality and Logistics
• Support the continued growth and scaling of the manufacturing operation

About You

• Significant experience in a senior production or operations leadership role within food or drink manufacturing
• Strong track record of leading and developing large, shift‑based teams
• Experience driving continuous improvement and improving manufacturing efficiency
• Confident managing production KPIs, labour costs and operational budgets
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP and food safety legislation
• Experience supporting customer, regulatory or third‑party audits
• A visible, hands‑on leader who is equally comfortable on the factory floor and working with senior leadership
• Calm under pressure, commercially aware and solutions focused

A degree in Business Management, Food Science, Engineering or a related subject is required, alongside a Level 3 or higher HACCP or food safety qualification. An IOSH Managing Safely qualification or equivalent would be advantageous.

A full UK driving licence is also required.

This is an excellent opportunity to take ownership of a growing manufacturing operation and play a key role in developing its people, processes and future capabilities.