Manufacturing Start-Up & Operational Readiness Lead

Mars; Slough; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Job summary

Mars in Slough is seeking a Manufacturing Operational Readiness & Start-Up Lead to drive the successful integration of asset, recipe and pack changes. You will own the transition from Engineering to Operations and guide CVS readiness, training and handover to operations, while tracking KPIs and ensuring governance compliance.

With minimum 5 years in TPM or fast-paced manufacturing, you will lead cross-functional teams, develop SOPs, manage startup risks, and support FAT/SAT activities, training

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years TPM or manufacturing experience in a fast paced manufacturing environment (FMCG, Food and Beverage or consumer goods preferred).
• Strong understanding of TPM principles, especially Early management & Vertical Start-up.
• Knowledge of planning tools e.g. Microsoft project, budget management, POKA (or equivalent).
• Knowledge of operational KPI planning & tracking (& digital tools to manage).
• A good understanding of food manufacturing hygiene and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead Start-Up Planning & Roadmap: Design, track, and execute the Commissioning, Validation, and Start-Up (CVS) roadmap to ensure all systems, equipment, and teams are ready to achieve project KPIs.
• Accelerate Performance Ramp-Up: Manage risks and verification planning to reach vertical start-up as quickly as possible, minimizing waste and downtime.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Coordinate creation and modification of SOPs, ensuring they are published and trained before milestones.
• Training & Capability Building: Deploy training programs to upskill operators and maintenance teams ahead of equipment commissioning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Bring together Engineering, R&D, Operations, Quality, and CI to align on schedules and budgets.
• Support Equipment Testing: Organize resources for FAT and SAT, traveling if required.
• Daily Management Integration: Ensure new equipment and process changes are integrated into daily management systems.
• Post-Project Learning: Lead snag list resolution and post-launch reviews to capture lessons learned.

Skills

TPM principles

Vertical Start-up

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Project

Budget management

POKA (or equivalent)

Job description

Mars in Slough is seeking a Manufacturing Operational Readiness & Start-Up Lead to drive the successful integration of asset, recipe and pack changes. You will own the transition from Engineering to Operations and guide CVS readiness, training and handover to operations, while tracking KPIs and ensuring governance compliance.

With minimum 5 years in TPM or fast-paced manufacturing, you will lead cross-functional teams, develop SOPs, manage startup risks, and support FAT/SAT activities, training