Operations Controller

Greencore; Sefton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Holidays

Pension contributions

Life insurance

Share Save scheme

Greencore qualifications

Exclusive employee discount

Wellbeing Centre

Parental leave & menopause policies

Job summary

Greencore is a leading UK producer of convenience foods. We are seeking an Operations Controller to lead the manufacturing unit, drive KPI delivery across shifts, and report to the site GM as part of the Site Leadership Team.

You will shape the business plan, manage spend, and drive safe, efficient production aligned with customer standards. You will oversee capex projects, collaborate with departments for capital investment, and ensure labour and waste targets are achieved while maintaining

Qualifications

• Experience leading manufacturing teams in FMCG.
• Holds a Level 3 Health and Safety certificate, IOSH certified.
• Experience working with customers and accountability for customer service.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to plan and implement initiatives.
• Experience in modern manufacturing methodologies and systems planning.
• Experience leading business improvement activities and projects through to deployment.
• Operational Excellence experience would be a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the manufacturing unit business plan in order to achieve the manufacturing EBIT/productivity objectives.
• Control manufacturing spend, within sign off limits, to ensure that costs are aligned with business requirements and the agreed budget.
• Coordinate, and take corrective action, to ensure all elements of operations are integrated and being utilised through cost efficient processes which deliver product to manufacturing food safety and customer standards.
• Implement health safety and environment plan and manage performance across the operational teams in order to enhance colleagues health and safety wellbeing in the workplace.
• Identify and prioritise capex projects that deliver the efficiency plan.
• Consult and advise with relevant departments to ensure the effective and efficient use of all new capital investment projects /machinery to deliver best operational advantage.
• Highlight bottleneck processes and take mitigating action that will deliver labour/waste targets.
• Provide inspirational leadership and direction to the operational community to ensure that people are kept safe engaged, focused and delivering to their potential.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Customer service

Analytical skills

Manufacturing planning

Data-driven improvement

Operational excellence

Education

Level 3 Health and Safety certificate (IOSH)

Job description

Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we’re one of the UK’s leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make every day taste better.

As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we’re proud to employ over 28,000 talented colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and the US. Together, we bring delicious food to life. Our products cover every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner and dessert, with lunch and snacking in between. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve combined revenues of approximately £4bn.

Our extensive direct to store (DTS) network, with 17 depots across the UK, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring consumers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop.

Here at Crosby, we have a team of around 300 colleagues. We produce sushi for some of the biggest retailers in the UK including Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

What you’ll be doing

As Operations Controller, you will lead the operations function for the manufacturing unit (people, process and product) that delivers the required KPIs across all shifts, enabling the delivery of operational objectives to exceed customer expectations. Reporting into the site GM you will be a key member of the SLT (Site Leadership Team).

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the manufacturing unit business plan in order to achieve the manufacturing EBIT/productivity objectives
• Control manufacturing spend, within sign off limits, to ensure that costs are aligned with business requirements and the agreed budget
• Co-ordinate, and take corrective action, to ensure all elements of operations are integrated and being utilised through cost efficient processes which deliver product to manufacturing food safety and customer standards
• Implement health safety and environment plan and manage performance across the operational teams in order to enhance colleagues health and safety wellbeing in the workplace
• Identify and prioritise capex projects that deliver the efficiency plan
• Consult and advise with relevant departments to ensure the effective and efficient use of all new capital investment projects /machinery to deliver best operational advantage
• Highlight bottleneck processes and take mitigating action that will deliver labour/waste targets
• Provide inspirational leadership and direction to the operational community to ensure that people are kept safe engaged, focused and delivering to their potential

What we’re looking for

We’re proud to be recognised in the Gender Equity Measure Top 100 for our commitment to gender equality.

• Experience of leading manufacturing teams in an FMCG environment
• Holds a level 3 Health and Safety certificate, is IOSH certified and trained in legionella duty holder awareness as a deputy
• Experience of working with customers and being accountability for customer service
• Analytical skills and ability
• Experience of planning and implementing initiatives in a complex manufacturing organisation
• Knowledge and experience of modern manufacturing methodologies and systems planning
• Experience in leading business improvement activities, skilled in managing projects through to deployment
• Experience in Operational Excellence would be a bonus

What you’ll get in return

• Competitive salary and job-related benefits
• Holidays
• Competitive matched pension contributions
• Life insurance up to 4x salary
• Company share save scheme
• Greencore Qualifications
• Exclusive Greencore employee discount platform
• Access to a full Wellbeing Centre platform
• Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies

Throughout your time at Greencore, you will be supported with on the job training and development opportunities to further your career.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement before the stated closing date