Zest Food Jobs
Operations Manager
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Operations Manager | Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Exclusive to Zest Recruitment
Some opportunities are about taking the next step.
Others are about becoming the person everyone turns to.
This is one of those opportunities.
I'm exclusively partnering with a highly respected food manufacturing business to appoint an Operations Manager - a genuine Number 2 on site role with significant influence, responsibility, and visibility across the operation.
Reporting directly to the Site Director, you'll be at the heart of a modern, process-driven manufacturing site where people, continuous improvement, and operational excellence genuinely matter. This isn't simply about running production. It's about shaping culture, developing leaders, improving performance, and helping define what "great" looks like every single day.
If you're currently leading operations within a food or beverage manufacturing environment and you're looking for a role where your ideas will be listened to, your leadership will be valued, and your career can continue to grow, I'd love to speak with you.
The Opportunity
This is a business that believes sustainable success starts with its people.
You'll inherit experienced operational managers and lead both the processing and packing functions, creating an environment where accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement become part of everyday working life.
Working alongside the Site Director, you'll help shape site strategy while remaining close enough to the factory floor to make a genuine difference to operational performance.
You'll also deputise for the Site Director when required, making this an outstanding opportunity for someone who enjoys broad operational responsibility and is ready for a highly visible leadership position.
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What You'll Be Doing
You'll be responsible for delivering operational excellence across every aspect of manufacturing, including:
- Leading processing and packing operations through strong, engaging leadership
- Developing and coaching managers to build high-performing teams
- Driving a culture built around Safety, Quality, People, Delivery, and Cost (SQPDC)
- Embedding Lean manufacturing principles and delivering meaningful continuous improvement projects
- Improving productivity, yields, efficiencies, and overall site performance
- Supporting strategic planning, capacity optimization, and future investment
- Ensuring world-class standards in food safety, quality, and compliance
- Working cross-functionally to consistently deliver exceptional customer service
- Playing a key role in the site's leadership team while providing cover for the Site Director when required
What We're Looking For
We're looking for an inspirational operational leader who enjoys developing people just as much as improving processes.
You'll probably already be an Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Production Manager, or Senior Operations Leader within a process-driven food or beverage manufacturing environment.
You'll bring:
- Proven operational leadership experience within food or beverage manufacturing
- Strong knowledge of process manufacturing and high-volume production environments
- A track record of leading continuous improvement and Lean initiatives
- Experience delivering excellent food safety and quality standards, including BRC and HACCP
- A collaborative leadership style that earns trust and develops capability
- Strong commercial awareness with experience improving productivity, yields, and cost performance
- Excellent communication skills and the confidence to influence across all levels of the business
- Above all, you'll be someone who enjoys building great teams, solving problems, and creating an environment where people can perform at their very best.
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Why This Role?
Some Operations Manager positions are about maintaining performance.
This one is about improving it.
You'll join a business with ambitious plans, genuine investment, and a leadership team that values openness, accountability, and continuous improvement. Your voice will matter. Your decisions will have real impact. You'll have the autonomy to make improvements while being supported by experienced senior leadership.
For someone with the ambition to progress further into senior site leadership, this represents an exceptional career opportunity.
Interested?
This appointment is being managed exclusively by Zest Recruitment, so all applications and enquiries will be handled in complete confidence.
If you're an ambitious Operations Manager ready for a role where you can influence strategy, develop people, and leave a lasting mark on a high-performing manufacturing operation, I'd love to tell you more.
Apply today or please contact Shaf Islam at si@zestfoodjobs.co.uk
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