Manufacturing & Logistics Operations Manager
23 days ago
Basildon
Manufacturing & Logistics Operations Manager South East England Our client, a fast-growing and innovative food manufacturing business, is seeking an experienced and commercially focused Manufacturing & Logistics Operations Manager to lead end-to-end site operations. This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for manufacturing, logistics, food safety compliance, health & safety, planning, maintenance, and continuous improvement across the operation. This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape operational excellence within a dynamic and scaling environment. Job Role Reporting to the senior leadership team, the Manufacturing & Logistics Operations Manager will take full ownership of production and logistics performance, ensuring safe, compliant, efficient, and cost-effective operations. You will lead site compliance (SALSA & BRC), production planning, labour management, maintenance strategy, and supply chain coordination, embedding structure, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement across the business. Responsibilities • Act as site lead for SALSA & BRC certification, audits, corrective actions, and ongoing compliance., • Ensure HACCP systems, allergen controls, traceability, and recall readiness are robust and maintained., • Promote and embed a strong food safety and quality culture across the site., • Ensure full compliance with health & safety legislation and internal policies., • Conduct risk assessments, accident investigations, and implement corrective actions., • Develop and manage short- and medium-term production plans aligned to demand forecasts., • Balance labour, capacity, and materials to optimise output and efficiency., • Monitor daily production performance and resolve operational bottlenecks., • Coordinate inbound materials and outbound finished goods to maintain OTIF performance., • Manage supplier performance, warehousing standards, stock accuracy, and FIFO compliance., • Lead labour planning including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management, and rota planning., • Oversee preventative and reactive maintenance programmes to maximise equipment reliability and uptime., • Manage maintenance contractors and support capital expenditure planning., • Monitor and improve KPIs including yield, waste, labour efficiency, downtime, and cost per unit., • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity and margin., • Develop SOPs and embed operational discipline across manufacturing and logistics teams., • Provide strong, visible leadership and foster a culture of accountability and ownership. Personal Profile • Proven experience in food manufacturing operations leadership., • Strong working knowledge of SALSA, BRC, or equivalent food safety standards., • Demonstrated people leadership and team development capability., • Experience in production planning, supply chain coordination, and cost control., • Strong understanding of health & safety legislation and compliance., • Hands-on, structured, and solutions-focused approach., • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills., • Commercially aware with experience managing operational budgets., • Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders., • Continuous improvement mindset with a track record of driving measurable results. Ref Code: CV13239 To apply, please send your comprehensive CV in strict confidence, quoting the reference above and for the attention of Jon Hemming-Nash. Please include current salary details within your application. Due to high response levels, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you have not received a response within one week, regrettably your application has not been successful on this occasion