Interim Site Operations Lead (Contract / Interim)

ThePetFoodPeople®; Wales; On-site; GBP 92,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer in the United Kingdom is seeking an Interim Site & Operations Lead to manage a small manufacturing site. This position requires a hands-on approach, focusing on building the operational team by hiring 4-5 new roles across different functions. The ideal candidate must have experience in a physical product environment, particularly within FMCG, and must be onsite five days a week. This is not a strategic role but a direct operational position aimed at enhancing team functionality.

Qualifications

• Must have experience hiring initial roles within a business or site.
• Experience in a hands-on operational setting.
• Understanding of processes in a lean operation.
• Hands-on, lean operation experience.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the manufacturing site and build the operational team.
• Work directly within operations to understand current processes.
• Hire and onboard 4-5 roles across various functions.
• Create SOPs to enable consistency in operations.
• Ensure clarity in day-to-day site activities.

Skills

Experience in hiring roles

Hands-on experience in a physical product environment

Ability to create SOPs and training resources

Experience in FMCG (food or pharma)

Job description

Interim Site & Operations Lead (Contract / Interim)

Duration: 14 weeks (potential to extend)

Start Date: ASAP

Type: Full-time, on-site

We are seeking an experienced interim operator to take ownership of one of our small manufacturing sites, with a primary focus on building out the operational team.

This assignment is centred around creating a functioning, independent team across four key areas, removing reliance on key personnel for execution.

You will initially work directly within the operation to fully understand how it runs, before going to market to recruit and build out the required team.

This will involve:

• Working hands‑on across the site to understand current processes and gaps
• Hiring 4–5 roles across production, warehouse, hygiene, and admin functions
• Onboarding and embedding those hires into the operation
• Creating simple SOPs, training, and support resources to enable consistency
• Bringing structure and clarity to day‑to‑day site activity

This is not a purely strategic or advisory role.

• You MUST have experience hiring the first roles within a business or site
• You MUST have experience within a physical product environment
• You must be comfortable being extremely hands‑on in a lean operation
• You will be required to be on‑site 5 days per week

Experience in FMCG (particularly food or pharma) is highly advantageous.