Operations Manager

Curd & Cure; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fine food wholesaler in the UK is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead and manage operations. This role involves contributing to company strategy, overseeing a team of 20+, and direct responsibility for all operational costs. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in operational management, with a focus on efficiency, compliance, and team development. A commitment to improving operational processes and a positive growth mindset are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in an operational management role.
• 5+ years' experience line managing supervisors and overseeing a team of 20+.
• Experience using an MRP system to drive, measure and manage production.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to company strategy in production and distribution.
• Ensure the operational team is effectively managed to achieve KPIs.
• Develop and control operational budgets to promote profitability.
• Direct and control warehousing and distribution functions.
• Ensure company compliance and health & safety standards are met.

Skills

Lean manufacturing expertise

Excellent core management skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Clear and confident communicator

Positive growth mindset

Tools

MRP system

Job description

We are looking for an Operations Manager to join our growing team to effectively lead & manage all Operations departments within our business, ensuring results are maximised and continuous improvements are identified and implemented.

You will become a key member of the Management Team, contributing to company strategy and have direct P&L responsibility for all operational costs. You will be responsible for overseeing a team of 20+, working closely with supervisors to ensure our operations run smoothly.

Due to the nature of the role, you would need to be happy travelling and working from our head office in Staplehurst.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibility 1: Contribute to company strategy in the areas of production, warehousing and distribution to ensure that the company achieves its short and long-term goals.

• Continuous audit, review and improvement of all operational processes according to current and future trade.
• Key member of the Company’s management team with input on all business planning and strategy setting.
• Operations quarterly plans and annual plans are up to date and being effectively implemented and reported on
• All Operational reporting and planning is accurate and on time. The entire management team have a clear understanding of the Operational Outcome and Activity KPI's.

Responsibility 2: Ensure the Operational team is effectively managed and organised to achieve the companies KPI’s. Ensure Team members are engaged and 90% of the Team are A Players or A Players in Training.

• Annual and quarterly planning of operational staffing requirements alongside company budget and any re-forecasts.
• Overview of operational staffing versus business performance and identifying any staffing amendments required.
• Responsible for the recruitment and on-boarding of all new operational team members, in line with company values.
• Ensure all operational team members are trained in line with latest legislation, company policy and process.
• 80% of the Operational Team are achieving 90% or more of their scorecard outcomes and individual/team KPI's
• Huddles, meetings and 1-1's are consistent and effective(identify and address risks, focus on outcomes and shared/cascade information accurately and timely).
• Sign off on all operational department holiday requests and seasonal staffing plan in line with expected revenue.
• The operational team have a detailed understanding of their individual KPI's as well as the broader operational team KPI's. Ensure these are reviewed weekly and targeted action plan is created to make improvements where needed.
• Oversee daily running of all operational departments to ensure efficiency is maximised and customer service level targets are met.

Responsibility 3: Develop and control operational budgets to promote profitability and ensure the company has all the resources required to meet its objectives within agreed financial parameters.

• Daily responsibility of all operational hours and ensuring maximum efficiency achieved against budget.
• P&L responsibility for fleet usage, maintenance and associated costs.
• Asset planning and purchasing for the operational departments of the business as required.
• Work closely with the Stock Control department and manage functional space – warehouse, production and offices – to ensure efficiency is maximised and seasonal requirements are met.

Responsibility 4: Direct and control warehousing and distribution functions to ensure that customers are supplied with the right goods at the right time.

• Daily monitoring of warehouse picking throughout each day to ensure close of day is achieved successfully.
• Reviewing warehouse picking accuracy and take any action required to increase.
• Manage Goods In to ensure stock availability in line with warehouse requirements.
• Ensure the warehouse is maintained to the highest standard to ensure the excellent care of all stock and quality of work environment is exceptional.
• Weekly review of route costs to ensure routes and driver hours are optimised in line with customer requirements.
• The management team are clear on Operational risks, bottlenecks and challenges. These are identified in good time and candidly to ensure solutions are identified and implemented as soon as possible
• Design and follow routing and loading processes. To ensure drivers leave with correct, allocated goods for their route.
• Manage end of day process for drivers, warehouse and customer service to ensure all stock returns are processed correctly and within specified time frame.
• Create set of measurable customer service level targets, implement within business and track progress.
• Ensure fleet is fully functional, maintained to the highest standard and available in line with expected revenue.
• Oversee all operational consumables, ensuring stock availability and re-order points.

Responsibility 5: Responsibility for company compliance and Health & Safety to ensure the meeting all statutory and legal requirements.

• Management representative for food safety, fire safety and health and safety.
• Work with food safety specialists and external providers to ensure the company operates to comply with all current company accreditations and latest legal requirements; in relation to food safety, fire safety and health and safety.
• All compliance requirements are current and team members understand the significance of these standards in the context of our core customer and our business.
• Inspection and compliance are effective, correctly resourced and achieving their non-conformance goals, business improvement plans and audit result outcomes.
• Regular audit of business security and create action plan where required.
• Oversee stock rotation and stock count processes, alongside Stock Control department.

Experience

• 5+ years' experience in an operational management role
• 5+ years' experience line managing, managers/supervisors and overseeing a team of 20+
• Experience using an MRP system to drive, measure and manage production performance end to end
• Experience managing a purchasing, design & production team

Key skills & attributes

• Lean manufacturing expertise or equivalent methodology
• Excellent core management skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to motivate a team
• Clear and confident communicator
• Positive growth mindset

About Us

Curd & Cure is the leading cheese and fine food wholesaler in London and the South East, with deep expertise in British cheese, charcuterie and artisan produce.

With over 30 year's experience and a reputation built on quality, service and a genuine passion for cheese and artisan produce, we are a small team with big ambitions. Our aim is to redefine fine food wholesale, through sharing fine food knowledge and a commitment to education, breaking down the barriers to make exceptional cheese and artisan produce more accessible.

We work closely with small scale dairies, charcuterie makers and specialist producers across the UK, delivering in our own fleet of dual temperature controlled vans to make local produce, local to our customers. We're proud to supply award-winning farm shops, delicatessen's, high end catering groups and top rated pubs & restaurants.

We carefully curate our range for outstanding flavour, provenance and that all important point of difference - helping our clients to delight their customers, making menus stand out and ultimately increasing our customers sales.