🌟 Head of Production – Laverstoke UK

Accredited meat processing background – raw pet food manufacturing

About The Nutriment Company

At The Nutriment Company we are entrepreneurs, visionaries and doers. We operate in one of the fastest growing segments of FMCG right now - pet food - and we are proud to be Europe's leading company within the natural premium segment. Our headquarters are in Stockholm and Düsseldorf, and we currently have 850+ employees spread across Europe. We generate 250+ million EUR turnover with strong profitability, and we are owned by the Nordic private equity company Axcel.

At The Nutriment Company, we have a highly motivated, ambitious, and fun team that aspires to take our company to the next level, as we expand at pace through both organic growth and acquisitions across Europe.

The role

We are now looking for a Head of Production to lead operations at our facilities across the UK. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Operations UK, this is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has come up through the meat processing industry and understands it from the inside - the hygiene disciplines, the quality systems, the pace, and the cost pressures. You genuinely enjoy getting into the detail while also knowing when to zoom out.

You will own the full production picture - planning, efficiency, people, and the ambition to become best-in-class operations. Think of it as being the engine room of a fast-moving, quality-first business that takes great pride in what it makes.

Key responsibilities

• Own the full production operation at Laverstoke Park Farm (our leading UK production site), from raw material intake through to despatch - setting throughput targets, managing shift patterns, and ensuring output meets the demands of a fast-growing business without compromising on product quality.
• Lead all food safety and hygiene programmes across the meat processing operation - including HACCP plans, GMP standards, zoning protocols, and pathogen control - Building to full compliance with BRC, SALSA, and ensuring full compliance with relevant APHA/FSA regulatory requirements for approved raw meat handling establishments.
• Drive quality management across the production process - from incoming raw material inspection and supplier specification adherence, through in-process controls (temperature, weight, contamination), to finished goods release. Own non-conformance investigation and corrective action processes, and build a quality culture where every person on the floor takes ownership.
• Own the site cost base for production - labour efficiency, yield management, waste reduction, and packaging costs. Understand the true cost per kg at each stage of the process and drive continuous improvement in conversion efficiency.
• Manage and develop the production team, building capability at every level from team leaders to operatives. Set clear expectations, run structured performance conversations, and create an environment where high standards and accountability are the norm.
• Set the tone on health & safety - ensuring the site meets all statutory obligations, conducting regular risk assessments and safety audits, and driving a genuine safety-first culture. In a meat processing environment this is non-negotiable.
• Align production goals with the broader company strategy, working closely with Supply Chain, Commercial, and Finance leadership to translate business ambition into operational reality.