Operations Manager

Samworth Brothers; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

Car/Car Allowance

Health and well-being support

Employee discount scheme

Annual pay reviews

Profit related pay

Extended leave

Free on-site parking

Training and growth opportunities

Job summary

Samworth Brothers is seeking an accomplished Operations Manager at Kettleby Foods in Melton Mowbray to lead a significant manufacturing operation. The role reports to the Site Director and focuses on safety, quality, service, cost and people to deliver operational excellence and long-term capability.

You will manage a fast-paced chilled food environment, develop leaders, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement and successful launches.”

Qualifications

• Proven manufacturing leader with strong operational expertise and people development.
• Experience leading manufacturing teams within a fast-paced chilled food environment.
• Experience managing customer compliance and delivering against customer expectations.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence across functions.
• Coaching leadership style with focus on developing capability and talent.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of operational impact on business performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead Health, Safety and Environmental agenda, ensuring a safe working environment and compliant culture.
• Drive performance across quality, service, efficiency, waste, yield and cost.
• Set direction for the Operations team in line with divisional and site strategies.
• Inspire, coach and develop Production Managers and wider teams to achieve potential.
• Drive engagement and communication across teams, ensuring clarity and accountability.
• Champion Operational Excellence and continuous improvement, embedding best practice.
• Collaborate with NPD, Process Development and Commercial to support new product launches.
• Identify, prioritise and deliver capital projects to enhance capability and performance.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Stakeholder management

Coaching leadership

Commercial awareness

Job description

About The Role

We are looking for an accomplished and inspiring leader to join Kettleby Foods as Operations Manager. Reporting to the Site Director, this role offers the opportunity to lead a significant manufacturing operation, driving performance across safety, quality, service, cost and people. As a key member of the site leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of the operation, delivering operational excellence and building the capability needed to achieve long-term success.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the site's Health, Safety and Environmental agenda, ensuring a safe working environment and strong compliance culture.
• Deliver performance across key operational measures including quality, service, efficiency, waste, yield and cost.
• Set the direction for the Operations team in line with divisional and site strategies.
• Inspire, coach and develop Production Managers and wider operational teams to achieve their full potential.
• Drive engagement and communication across operational teams, creating clarity, accountability and alignment.
• Champion Operational Excellence and continuous improvement initiatives, embedding best practice and driving sustainable performance improvements.
• Work closely with NPD, Process Development and Commercial teams to support innovation and the successful launch of new products.
• Identify, prioritise and deliver capital projects that enhance capability, efficiency and performance.

About You

We believe success comes from collaboration and diverse perspectives. At Samworth Brothers, we value team players who are driven to achieve great results together.

You’ll bring the following skills and experience:

Proven manufacturing leader who combines strong operational expertise with a passion for developing people and delivering results.

• Experience leading manufacturing teams within a fast-paced chilled food environment.
• Experience managing customer compliance and delivering against customer expectations.
• Success in leading large, diverse teams and driving sustainable operational improvements.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence across functions.
• A coaching leadership style and a genuine passion for developing capability and talent.
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of the impact operational decisions have on business performance.

What We Offer

We’re building a workplace where different ways of thinking are not just welcomed but supported, with clear communication, flexible processes, and a commitment to continuous improvement so everyone can thrive.

• Company pension scheme
• Car/Car Allowance
• Access to health and well-being support, such as healthcare, optical and dental discounts
• Employee discount scheme
• Experience annual pay reviews
• Profit related pay
• Opportunity for extended leave
• Free on-site parking
• Unlock your potential through training and growth opportunities

About Us

Samworth Brothers is a fourth-generation family business, trusted by many of the UK’s best-known retailers to produce high-quality own-label products. Alongside these, we’re proud to craft and deliver our own iconic brands, including Ginsters, Soreen, Higgidy, Dickinson & Morris, Urban Eat, West Cornwall Pasty Company, and Walker & Son.

With over 10,000 talented colleagues working across our modern, well-invested food manufacturing sites nationwide, we’re committed to excellence in everything we do—from the food we make to the careers we build.

At Samworth Brothers, you’re more than just an employee, you are part of our strong family culture. Our collaborative approach and strong team spirit help us support one another and achieve great things together. As part of a well-established group, we offer stability, opportunity, and a place where you can truly thrive.

Ready to make a difference? Join us and be part of something special!

We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities employer making diversity and inclusion a core part of everything we do. We also actively welcome applications from neurodivergent individuals and are committed to a recruitment process that’s fair, respectful, and free from bias. If you need any adaptations to the application or interview process, please do let us know.