Head of Operations

Heler Foods; Nantwich; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Heler Foods Creamery is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to lead our site, drive safety, quality, service and cost performance. The role covers end-to-end milk conversion to value-added products, including cheese, cream, water and WPC, with a focus on continuous improvement.

You will lead cross-functional teams, uphold GMP, food safety and environmental standards, manage budgets and KPIs, and collaborate with Engineering on CAPEX projects to deliver ROI.

Qualifications

• Graduate-level or diploma in management, food science or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior management/operational leadership role.
• Experience in chilled food manufacturing, preferably dairy or process manufacturing.
• NEBOSH certification for occupational health and safety.
• HACCP Level 3 or above certification.
• Strong continuous improvement experience and cost management.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day site operations, converting milk to value-added products at lowest sustainable cost.
• Own health & safety, food safety, quality and environmental standards compliance.
• Drive GMP, hygiene, CIP and food safety across the operation.
• Deliver annual volume targets and manage seasonality with Planning.
• Lead budgets and KPIs, driving year-on-year improvements.
• Ensure multi-skilled staffing, training plans and succession at management level.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Projects on CAPEX with ROI benefits.
• Provide updates and recommendations to senior leadership and the Board.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Data-driven

Communication

Education

Graduate or Diploma qualification in Management, Food Science or related discipline

NEBOSH certified

HACCP Level 3 or above

Tools

Excel

Word

Job description

At Heler Foods, our people are part of our extended Heler Family — the driving force behind everything we do. From crafting award-winning cheeses to delivering service that sets new standards, we work together to shape the future of food.

CHEESEMAKERS. FUTURE SHAPERS. CHANGEMAKERS.

Rooted in tradition and growing into the future, we’re bold, ambitious and proud of where we’re going next.

Every colleague has a voice here — and every step you take helps move us forward.

HEAD OF OPERATIONS

Location: Heler Foods Creamery

Salary:75K-80K DOE

Contract: Full-time | Permanent

At Heler Foods, our people are part of our extended Heler Family — the driving force behind everything we do. From crafting award-winning cheeses to delivering service that sets new standards, we work together to shape the future of food.

CHEESEMAKERS. FUTURE SHAPERS. CHANGEMAKERS.

Rooted in tradition and growing into the future, we’re bold, ambitious and proud of where we’re going next.

Every colleague has a voice here — and every step you take helps move us forward.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We’re looking for an experienced and commercially minded Head of Operations to lead our site operations and play a pivotal role in driving safety, quality, service, people and cost performance.

This is a key senior leadership position, with responsibility for the end-to-end conversion of milk and value-added products across our site, including cheese, cream, water and WPC, while ensuring all waste streams are managed effectively.

You’ll lead through our operational and functional teams, creating a culture of high performance, continuous improvement and accountability — always with safety, food quality and customer service at the heart of what we do.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the day-to-day operational performance of the site, ensuring milk is converted into value-added products at the lowest sustainable cost
• Take ownership of operational Health & Safety, food safety, quality and environmental standards, ensuring all legislative and company requirements are met
• Champion a strong culture of GMP, hygiene, CIP and food safety across the operation
• Deliver annual volume requirements OTIF, working closely with Planning and the Head of Supply to effectively manage seasonality, inbound milk and outbound products
• Lead operational performance against agreed budgets, KPIs and business objectives, driving improvements in cost per tonne/litre
• Establish and maintain strong operational disciplines, including effective meeting structures, KPI reviews, downtime management, complaint reduction and performance routines
• Use data and insight to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and deliver year-on-year and budget improvements
• Drive improvements across energy consumption, waste streams and tankering costs
• Develop and embed a culture of continuous improvement across plant, people, process and product
• Ensure the operation is appropriately resourced, with multi-skilled teams, effective training plans and robust succession planning at every management level
• Work collaboratively with Engineering and Projects to identify, scope and deliver tactical and strategic CAPEX projects, ensuring agreed ROI is achieved and benefits are embedded
• Build strong relationships across Site Leadership, Directors, Commercial, Supply, Engineering, Technical and other key functions
• Provide clear operational performance updates, insights and recommendations to senior leadership and the Board
• Support customer visits and represent Heler Foods professionally with customers and external stakeholders
• Take ownership of operational challenges, driving timely solutions and ensuring agreed actions are delivered
• Lead by example, creating a high-performing culture where people take ownership, challenge standards and continuously look for ways to improve

You’ll be joining a team where operational excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement go hand in hand.

ABOUT YOU

You’re an experienced operational leader with a strong track record in chilled food manufacturing, ideally within dairy or process manufacturing.

You understand what it takes to run a safe, efficient and high-performing manufacturing operation — balancing people, productivity, quality, service and cost to deliver sustainable business results.

Experience & Background

• Graduate or Diploma qualification in Management, Food Science or a related discipline
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a senior management/operational leadership role
• Proven experience within a chilled food manufacturing environment, ideally dairy or process manufacturing
• NEBOSH certified in Occupational Health & Safety
• HACCP Level 3 or above
• Proven experience of applying continuous improvement methodologies and, importantly, delivering tangible improvements in a live manufacturing environment
• Strong understanding of manufacturing KPIs, operational performance and cost management

Desirable Experience

• Specialist knowledge of cheese and cheese manufacture or dairy processing
• Good understanding of engineering principles and manufacturing equipment
• Experience of identifying, evaluating and delivering CAPEX projects
• Strong working knowledge of Excel and Word
  

Key Skills

• Strong operational and commercial acumen, with the ability to balance safety, quality, service, people and cost
• Excellent leadership and people-management skills
• Strong influencing and stakeholder-management capability
• Highly analytical, with the ability to use data to identify trends, solve problems and drive performance
• Strong understanding of continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Confident decision-maker who can remain calm and professional in challenging situations
• Able to set clear objectives, monitor performance and take decisive corrective action where required
• Strong communicator who can engage effectively from shop floor to Board level
  

Personal Qualities

You’re a visible and credible leader who leads by example.

You’re proactive, resilient and comfortable operating in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You know how to get yourself and others moving, overcome obstacles and maintain momentum when things get challenging.

You’ll be someone who:

• Thinks strategically and looks beyond the immediate challenge
• Creates a culture of accountability and high performance
• Encourages others to think differently and identify opportunities
• Adapts quickly to changing circumstances
• Sets high standards and follows through on commitments
• Remains professional, objective and solutions-focused under pressure
• Develops people and creates a strong pipeline of future operational leaders
• Takes ownership and drives things through to completion

You’ll also demonstrate behaviours aligned to our values:

Be Better. Be Collaborative. Be Inquisitive. Be Yourself. Take Ownership.

WHY JOIN HELER FOODS?

Because we don’t just offer jobs — we shape careers.

As we continue our exciting growth journey, this is a unique opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the operational future of an ambitious food manufacturing business.

Here, you’ll find:

• A senior leadership role with genuine influence across the site
• The opportunity to shape operational strategy and drive sustainable performance
• A collaborative, cross-functional working environment
• The opportunity to lead and develop a talented operational team
• A culture built on trust, ownership and continuous improvement
• The opportunity to deliver meaningful improvements across people, plant and process
• The chance to work with high-quality, innovative food products
• An exciting platform to make a measurable impact on safety, quality, service and profitability

This is a place where you’ll be empowered to lead, influence and make a difference.

JOIN THE EXTENDED HELER FAMILY

Are you ready to take the next step in your operational leadership career?

If you’re passionate about manufacturing excellence, developing people and delivering outstanding operational performance, we’d love to hear from you.

Heler Foods: Rooted in tradition. Growing into the future.