Operations Manager - Food Manufacturing

ACS Performance Ltd; Haslemere; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

ACS Performance Ltd in Haslemere is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a busy food manufacturing site. You will own health & safety, drive continuous improvement, and ensure safe, compliant operations across the facility.

The role requires hands-on leadership, menuatory focus on HACCP, GMP and site standards, and the ability to coordinate maintenance and contractors to minimise downtime.

Qualifications

• Proven manufacturing/production experience in a food environment.
• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification preferred.
• Experience developing, implementing and managing SOPs and food safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Own Health & Safety across the site and maintain high standards.
• Develop, review and implement SOPs to ensure safe, efficient operations.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives and projects.
• Oversee maintenance planning and equipment reliability.
• Collaborate with teams to drive operational excellence.

Skills

Operations management

Health & Safety

Process improvement

Maintenance planning

GMP/HACCP

Tools

SOPs

HACCP

Job description

Operations Manager - Food Manufacturing

Are you an experienced Operations Manager with a strong background in manufacturing, production or FMCG? Do you enjoy being hands-on, improving processes and driving operational excellence?

We are seeking a proactive and experienced Operations Manager to join a well-established food manufacturing operation based in Haslemere.

This is an excellent opportunity for a practical, improvement-focused professional to take ownership of health and safety, operational standards, equipment reliability and continuous improvement within a busy production environment.

Key Responsibilities

Health & Safety

• Take ownership of Health & Safety across the site, ensuring a safe working environment.
• Develop, maintain and continuously improve H&S standards and procedures.
• Identify and manage operational risks, ensuring appropriate controls are in place.

Operational Standards & SOPs

• Manage and maintain the site's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Develop, review and implement procedures to ensure safe, consistent and efficient operations.
• Drive compliance with established operational standards across the site.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, safety, productivity and reliability.
• Investigate recurring operational issues, identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives and operational improvement projects.
• Work collaboratively with teams to embed and maintain improvements.

Maintenance & Equipment Reliability

• Oversee planned preventative maintenance (PPM) programmes and equipment reliability.
• Manage an Operations Coordinator and external maintenance contractors.
• Ensure maintenance activities are effectively planned and completed.
• Identify and resolve recurring equipment issues to minimise downtime.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Maintain high standards of food safety and operational compliance.
• Oversee HACCP, GMP and BRCGS compliance requirements.
• Ensure operational processes and controls remain effective and audit-ready.

Operational Development

• Provide technical and operational expertise when introducing new equipment, products and processes.
• Support wider operational teams to improve performance and efficiency.
• Work closely with the management team to drive operational excellence across the site.

About You

• Proven experience within a manufacturing or production environment, ideally within food manufacturing or FMCG.
• Strong practical Health & Safety knowledge, supported by an IOSH or NEBOSH qualification.
• Experience developing, implementing and managing Standard Operating Procedures.
• A proven track record of delivering continuous improvement initiatives and resolving operational challenges.
• Experience overseeing maintenance activities and improving equipment reliability.
• Knowledge of food safety standards, including HACCP, GMP and BRCGS