Operations Manager

THE COLLECTIVE NETWORK LIMITED; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Collective Network Limited is seeking an Operations Manager located in Cambridgeshire to lead a fast-paced production floor with direct reports and full accountability for process and packing. You will oversee mass balance, traceability, yield, and cost targets while advancing GMP standards across the site.

Strong experience in food manufacturing, HACCP training, and the ability to read a P&L line are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a production operation in a food manufacturing environment.
• Ability to read a P&L line and conduct risk assessments.
• Proven HACCP training and BRC delivery experience.

Responsibilities

• Run a production floor with direct reports and accountability for process and packing.
• Sign off on mass balance and traceability; manage yield and giveaway to target.
• Develop SOPs and drive S&OP to remove constraints and improve operations.
• Labour planning, holiday cover, and absence management with HR; training plans.
• Cover Site Director responsibilities when required.

Skills

Production management

Lean manufacturing

HACCP

P&L reading

Strong communicator

Organised

People management

Job description

Operations Manager

Cambridgeshire

Up to £90,000 + Package

This one's for someone who actually wants to run a production floor, not just hold the title. You'll have direct reports, full accountability for process and packing across a working production site. If SQPDC means nothing to you, Safety, Quality, People, Delivery, Cost, this isn't going to be a quick learning curve, it's the whole job.

You'll be signing off on mass balance and traceability, managing yield and giveaway against target, and making sure GMP standards keep moving forward rather than standing still. If you've never had to explain a variance to a Site Director, you'll learn fast here.

There's a strong CI and Lean thread running through this role. You won't just be firefighting, you'll be expected to build SOPs that actually get followed, drive the S&OP process to strip out constraints, and deliver a genuine programme of operational improvement.

You'll also be doing the less glamorous stuff that comes with managing people properly. Labour planning against budget, holiday cover, absence management alongside HR, training and development plans that aren't just a tick box exercise. And when the Site Director's out, you're covering that seat too.

What they need:

• solid HACCP training
• proven BRC delivery experience
• real operations management background in a food manufacturing environment
• the ability to read a P&L line as easily as a risk assessment
• Strong communicator
• properly organised
• comfortable being the person people come to when something's gone wrong on the line

Food manufacturing experience will be essentially for this role, it'll be fast paced too. It might sound like every advert, but it really will be!