Operations Manager

Mindful Chef | B Corp; Redditch; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals

Gym access

Health insurance

Parental leave

Holiday entitlement 30 days

Job summary

Mindful Chef is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to own daily production and warehouse performance. You will drive safety, efficiency, and cost control across production, fulfilment, quality, and food safety, partnering with Engineering and CI to implement robust standard work.

A hands-on leader on the shop floor, you’ll develop people and continuously improve processes. The role requires strong KPI discipline, data-driven decision making, and the ability to manage multiple priorities

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in operations management, supply chain, engineering, or related discipline.
• 3+ years experience in warehouse, factory, or production operations.
• Experience managing operational performance and service levels.
• Experience with food safety and health & safety standards.
• Experience using warehouse management systems or similar software.
• Strong leadership capability with the ability to motivate and develop teams.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality and compliance.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day delivery of production plans safely, efficiently, and to spec.
• Run daily operational reviews and coordinate priorities across departments.
• Process production files and system data accurately and on time.
• Oversee customer operational processing and daily execution.
• Ensure operational readiness for peak and seasonal demand.
• Lead safety culture and keep SOPs current and followed.
• Coordinate retraining where standards slip.
• Maintain GMP and food safety standards; manage hazard reporting.
• Own line performance, throughput, and cost reporting with KPI tracking.
• Drive productivity and labour utilisation improvements across operations.
• Monitor KPIs and spot trends early to act before issues arise.
• Identify bottlenecks and improve warehouse layout and flow.
• Lead implementation of new processes and change management.
• Maintain warehouse standards, cleanliness, and organisation.
• Support stock accuracy, counts, packaging, and reconciliation.
• Drive pick completion, accuracy, and warehouse efficiency.
• Own operational cost reporting and budget management.
• Track labour, agency, and overtime spend and pursue savings.
• Produce clear KPI and cost reporting; lead operational meetings and daily reviews.
• Escalate risks early and close audit, incident, and review actions.
• Ensure safety, GMP, and quality audits are addressed and actions closed.

Skills

Operations management

Warehouse operations

Leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Attention to detail

Quality & compliance

Education

Degree in operations management / related field

Tools

Warehouse management systems

Job description

As a proud B-Corp we focus on using business as a force for good. We do this by balancing out people and planet with profit. For every Mindful Chef recipe box bought we donate the equivalent of a school meal to a child in a less developed country (over 20 million meals donated and counting...) and we have also pledged to go Net Zero by 2030 but there are so many other initiatives that we would love to tell you about!

About the role

Working with 2 other Operations Managers, this person will own the day-to-day performance of warehouse and production operations, using data and process scrutinisation to keep the site running safely, efficiently, and consistently - while hitting the service levels customers expect.

This is a hands-on, metrics-driven role, accountable for line efficiency, throughput, and cost control across production, fulfilment, quality, food safety, and health & safety. Working closely with Engineering, Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement, this role digs into root causes, resolves issues fast, and builds systems and standard work that make improvements stick.

Working Schedule: Sunday - Thursday 9am-6pm, with occasional cover on other days.

What we are looking for

We're looking for someone who's genuinely energised by operational excellence, the kind of person who can't walk past a line without mentally calculating throughput, who tracks their own KPIs for fun, and who'd rather fix the process than firefight the same problem twice. A visible leader on the shop floor, the Operations Manager develops people, removes barriers to flow, and builds a culture of accountability, disciplined record-keeping, and continuous improvement.

You are

• Degree or equivalent qualification in operations management, supply chain, engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience
• 3+ years experience in warehouse, factory, or production operations, ideally within a food manufacturing or food retail environment.
• Experience managing operational performance, service levels, and error reduction.
• Demonstrated experience working with food safety and health & safety standards.
• Experience using warehouse management systems or similar operational software.
• Strong leadership capability with the ability to motivate and develop operational teams.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, including root cause analysis.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality and compliance.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Safety-conscious mindset with a strong focus on food safety and workplace safety.

You will

Operational Leadership

• Own day-to-day delivery of production plans - safely, efficiently, and to spec.
• Run daily operational reviews and coordinate priorities across Production, Engineering, Technical, Supply Chain and Customer Services.
• Process production files and system data accurately and on time.
• Oversee corporate customer operational processing and daily execution.
• Ensure operational readiness for peak and seasonal demand.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Lead by example on safety culture; keep SOPs and Safe Working Procedures current, effective, and followed.
• Coordinate retraining where standards slip.
• Maintain GMP, hygiene, and food safety standards,
• Own hazard reporting, risk assessment, and prompt resolution.
• Manage contractor/visitor safety and Permit to Work activity with Engineering.
• Lead incident investigations through to corrective action.

Operational Performance & Line Efficiency

• Own line performance and throughput - speeds, pick accuracy, error rates — as core, tracked metrics, not lagging indicators.
• Drive productivity and labour utilisation improvements across all operational areas.
• Monitor KPIs, spot trends early, and act on them before they become problems.
• Identify and remove bottlenecks through structured problem solving.
• Improve warehouse layout and flow to reduce waste and travel time.
• Lead implementation of new operational processes and change management.

Logistics & Warehouse

• Maintain warehouse standards, cleanliness, and organisation.
• Support teams with stock accuracy - counts, packaging, inventory reconciliation.
• Drive pick completion, pick accuracy, and warehouse efficiency.
• Manage logistics KPI reporting and compliance.
• Own operational cost reporting and departmental budget management.
• Track labour, agency, and overtime spend against plan.
• Drive savings and waste-reduction initiatives.
• Support capex planning and cost control decisions with data.
• Coordinate maintenance and preventative maintenance planning with Engineering.
• Support fabrication and engineering improvement projects.
• Close out audit actions relating to maintenance and facilities.
• Maintain site standards and operational readiness.

Quality & Technical Support

• Support food safety, GMP, and quality audits, and close resulting actions.
• Support fabrication, hygiene, and pest control audit actions.
• Participate in food safety meetings; support OPRP reviews.
• Lead operational input into foreign body investigations, traceability exercises, and mock recalls.
• Support CI activity on the floor - 5S, root cause analysis, corrective/preventative actions.
• Actively hunt for improvement opportunities; treat recurring issues as a signal something's broken upstream.
• Partner with the CI Lead to make improvements stick, not just land.
• Promote cross-training and skills development.
• Lead, coach, and develop operational teams.
• Support recruitment, induction, and onboarding.
• Build succession plans, PDPs, skills matrices, and training records.
• Build a culture of accountability and high performance.

Reporting & Communication

• Produce clear, accurate KPI and cost reporting.
• Lead operational meetings and daily reviews.
• Escalate risks early; close out audit, incident, and review actions.
• Communicate clearly across Production, Engineering, Technical, Supply Chain, and Senior Leadership.

Success Measures

• Safe, compliant operations with current, followed SOPs.
• High line efficiency, throughput, and order accuracy — measured, not assumed.
• Costs delivered in line with budget.
• Strong GMP, food safety, and housekeeping standards.
• Audit, maintenance, and root-cause actions closed promptly.
• Continuous, measurable improvement in operational performance.
• Reliable execution that shows up as excellent customer service.

Why us?

• A competitive package that rewards your skills and dedication.
• Be part of a Better Business (B-Corp), making a positive impact on profit, people, and planet.
• Join an award-winning startup backed by the largest food and beverage company globally: Nestle
• Experience a workplace that feels like home, complete with free meals and a gym.
• Prioritise your well-being with perks like Vitality health insurance, access to LinkedIn Learning, mental health support, Better Up AI Coaching and a generous holiday package (30 days + bank holidays).
• Enjoy a 50% discount on all Mindful Chef products.
• Enhanced policy of up to 6 months full pay primary parental leave and up to 6 weeks full pay secondary parental leave.

About us

We are MINDFUL. This is intrinsic to everything we do. From the healthy recipes we design, to the local, expert and caring suppliers we select and the way we treat each other, our customers and our environment.

We are CONNECTED to each other and the world around us, championing a food system that supports both people and planetary health. Guided by our community, we value shared food memories, trust, openness, and honest relationships—staying real and true to ourselves and each other as we grow.

We are UNAFRAID. We want to be the best – to challenge conventions, to think different and be imaginative in how we solve problems. Brave enough to take on the big players and to do what’s right even when it’s difficult.

At Mindful Chef, we embrace diversity and inclusion as a foundation that enriches our culture and fuels the success of our business. We are mindful of everyone’s differences and we take pride in the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents that each individual brings to our team.

We are unafraid to tackle biases and challenge stereotypes, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their personal strengths. Our commitment to diversity is not just a policy; it's a personal and collective responsibility that we take to heart.

We believe that by being mindful of our differences, unafraid to confront barriers, and embracing the personal stories and journeys of our team members, we can achieve greater innovation, creativity, and harmony in the workplace. Together we celebrate diversity, and together, we are better.