Site Operations Manager

The Sterling Choice; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

The Sterling Choice is recruiting for a high-calibre food manufacturing leader to join the Peterborough area as the on-site number two, reporting to the Site Manager. You will drive daily operations for production and packing, with a clear pathway to become Site Lead as you prove your capability and lead site-wide improvements.

You will influence the operation beyond spreadsheets, shaping how the site operates, and building a resilient, capable team in a close-knit environment.

Qualifications

• Strong operations or production leadership background within food manufacturing.
• Significant experience operating as the number two at a food manufacturing site.
• Ability to challenge, make decisions and introduce new ideas.
• Practical, visible and people-focused leadership style.
• Resilience to operate in a close-knit manufacturing environment.
• Ambition and capability to progress into a future Site Lead position.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operation, heading the production and packing teams.
• Provide a fresh perspective on site operations and drive improvements.
• Identify where processes can be improved and drive change across the site.
• Collaborate closely with the Site Manager to ensure smooth operation.

Skills

Food manufacturing leadership

Number two on site experience

People-focused leadership

Decision making and challenging status

Resilience in close-knit teams

Site Lead progression

Job description

Food Manufacturing | Peterborough area | £80,000-£90,000 + benefits

If your next move needs to put you on a credible path towards leading a site, this is worth a conversation.

You’ll join a significant food manufacturing operation as the number two on site, working closely with an experienced Site Manager. The longer-term opportunity is to develop into the Site Lead role yourself.

That progression won’t happen simply because you’ve completed a certain number of years. You’ll need to prove you can lead the operation, develop the people and think beyond today’s production plan. But if you do, the opportunity is there.

This also isn’t a role for someone who wants to sit behind a spreadsheet and send production reports.

You’ll take responsibility for the day-to-day operation, leading the production and packing teams while bringing a fresh pair of eyes to how the site operates.

The operation is performing well. This isn’t a turnaround or a rescue mission.

What it needs is someone who can identify where things could be better, challenge established ways of working and get people behind the changes needed to move the site forward.

That last part matters.

It’s a close-knit workforce, with several long-serving employees and connections across the site. You’ll need to be resilient enough to challenge, but people-focused enough to do it without losing the team along the way.

You’ll need:

• A strong operations or production leadership background within food manufacturing
• Significant experience operating as the number two at a food manufacturing site
• The confidence to challenge, make decisions and introduce new ideas
• A practical, visible and people-focused leadership style
• The resilience to operate effectively within a close-knit manufacturing environment
• The ambition and capability to progress into a future Site Lead position

The salary is between £80,000 and £90,000, depending on experience, alongside the wider benefits package.