Head of Operations

The Compleat Food Group; Market Drayton; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car Allowance

Bonus

Benefits

Free product handouts

EV charging points

GroceryAid access

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

The Compleat Food Group is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to join the Market Drayton site. You will take full accountability for day-to-day operational performance, leading manufacturing and materials control, delivering exceptional customer service, productivity, quality and financial performance.

You will work with the site leadership team to foster a high-performance culture, develop teams and drive operational excellence across all areas of the business.

Qualifications

• Significant operational leadership experience within chilled food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Proven experience leading large, diverse teams in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Strong track record of delivering operational improvement programmes.
• Lean Manufacturing experience with a passion for continuous improvement.
• Experience driving Operational Excellence initiatives that deliver measurable business results.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness with experience managing operational budgets and costs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire large production and operational teams across multiple shifts.
• Drive performance against key operational, quality, service, people, and cost KPIs.
• Develop a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Champion Health, Safety and Environmental standards, ensuring safety remains the number one priority.
• Build strong relationships across the site leadership team to deliver common goals and business objectives.
• Control operational budgets, managing direct and indirect costs whilst maximising efficiency and profitability.
• Coach, mentor and develop operational leaders to strengthen capability across the site.
• Deliver profit improvement initiatives and identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality and service.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, health & safety, environmental and company standards.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives, creating a culture built on trust, openness, accountability and performance.
• Support and deputise for the Site General Manager when required.
• Lead and contribute to site and group-wide strategic projects.

Job description

Salary: £70,000 - £77,000 + Car Allowance + Bonus + Benefits

£70,000 - £77,000 + Car Allowance + Bonus + Benefits

At The Compleat Food Group, we're on a mission to create great quality food that people love. As one of the UK's leading chilled food manufacturers, our success is built on passionate people, operational excellence, and a culture of continuous improvement.

We're now looking for an experienced Head of Operations to join our site in Market Drayton. This is a key leadership role with responsibility for leading manufacturing and materials control operations, driving performance across the site, and helping shape the future of the business.

About the Role

Reporting to the General Manager, you'll take full accountability for the day-to-day operational performance of the site, ensuring we consistently deliver exceptional customer service, industry-leading productivity, outstanding product quality, and strong financial performance.

This is a highly visible leadership role where you'll work closely with the site leadership team to create a high-performance culture, engage and develop teams, and drive operational excellence across all areas of the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire large production and operational teams across multiple shifts.
• Drive performance against key operational, quality, service, people, and cost KPIs.
• Develop a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Champion Health, Safety and Environmental standards, ensuring safety remains the number one priority.
• Build strong relationships across the site leadership team to deliver common goals and business objectives.
• Control operational budgets, managing direct and indirect costs whilst maximising efficiency and profitability.
• Coach, mentor and develop operational leaders to strengthen capability across the site.
• Deliver profit improvement initiatives and identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality and service.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, health & safety, environmental and company standards.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives, creating a culture built on trust, openness, accountability and performance.
• Support and deputise for the Site General Manager when required.
• Lead and contribute to site and group-wide strategic projects.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a proven operational leader with a track record of delivering results within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

• Significant operational leadership experience within chilled food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Proven experience leading large, diverse teams in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Strong track record of delivering operational improvement programmes.
• Lean Manufacturing experience with a passion for continuous improvement.
• Experience driving Operational Excellence initiatives that deliver measurable business results.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness with experience managing operational budgets and costs.

Key Skills

• Exceptional leadership and people management capability.
• Ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong strategic thinking combined with a hands‑on approach.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Commercially minded with the ability to translate strategy into execution.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Personal Attributes

• Credible, visible and engaging leadership style.
• Passionate about developing people and building high-performing teams.
• Resilient and comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment.
• Positive, collaborative and results driven.
• Willing to challenge the status quo and drive improvements.
• Flexible and hands‑on in approach.

This is a chance to step into a commercially significant role in a business with incredible momentum. You’ll be joining a PE-backed group with scale, ambition and pace, where strong commercial talent can make a visible impact. With a diverse multi-site manufacturing footprint, leading chilled food capabilities and a major strategic partnership with Tesco, this is an opportunity to influence growth at the highest level.

You’ll be part of a collaborative, passionate and commercially driven team that values pace, ownership and fresh thinking.

AtThe Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your lifestyle, wellbeing, and career growth:

• Company Bonus Schemerecognising performance and contribution
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes- including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work, and SMART Pension
• 33 days’ annual leave(including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra
• Access toenhanced retail discountsonline and in-store
• Free product handoutsacross our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand
• EV charging points- available at selected sites
• 24/7 access toGroceryAidfor free financial, emotional, and practical support
• Physical Wellbeing Hub- free on-demand exercise programmes, online classes and multiple gym discounts
• Free diet & nutrition advicewith access to thousands of meal plans and healthy recipes
• Online wellbeing support- from mindfulness to lifestyle resources
• Financial wellbeing tools- including mortgage calculators, budgeting tools, and financial aid
• Access to apersonalised online learning platform (LMS)
• Formal and informal trainingopportunities tailored to your role
• Performance Development Plansand regularCareer Conversations
• Industry leading company Mentoring Schemeto add depth and really support your career journey
• Recognition throughClub Compleatrewards portal

Community & Culture

• 2 paid volunteering daysper year to give back to causes that matter to you
• Charity initiativesand fundraising events
• Team socialsto connect and celebrate together
• Employee networks & support groups - including Women @ Compleat
• New baby giftfor new parents

What You Should Know About How We Recruit

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe great teams are built on difference. We create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and are able to be themselves at work. We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, just let us know, we’ll support you — confidentially and with care. We hire the best people for our roles, not the same people. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, we focus on what you do and the impact you could make in our business. Our recruitment process is fair, accessible, and designed to give everyone an equal chance. You’ll also find benefits that support people at every life stage, plus active internal networks — including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodiversity

Recruitment Agencies:

We have a small, active and trusted Preferred Supplier List to assist us if required. We do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions. We only accept CV submissions for roles released to you directly by our Talent Acquisition team.