The Company

We’re currently partnering with a well-established market leading food manufacturing business in search of a dynamic Operations Manager. This is a key appointment for someone ready to take on a leadership challenge and play a critical role in driving performance, efficiency, and operational excellence.

You’ll be the right hand to the Operations Manager, stepping in to lead day-to-day operations across product intake, production, inventory management, and production planning/scheduling. This role is ideal for a strong people leader with a background in manufacturing & logistics who thrives in fast-paced environments.

The Role

Your role will be responsible for:

• Lead and manage production teams to meet KPIs in safety, quality, output, and cost.
• Ensure all machinery maintenance and pre-start checks are completed and documented, in all areas of operations. This includes machinery such as tractors, loaders, grinders, terex screen, terminal trucks, forklifts and related plant assets. 
• Create and manage production plan, delivery plan and production process. 
• Manage inventory team to ensure timely procurement of production components and raw materials.
• Document and provide reports of forecasted production and delivery dates. 
• Lead, motivate, and engage teams across manufacturing, maintenance/engineering, and logistics to achieve individual, team, and site objectives.
• Foster a culture of business improvement to ensure continuous results and performance enhancement.
• Promote a safety-first culture across the site, ensuring that WH&S processes are in place, including induction, training, and safety programs.
• Drive excellence in safety performance, risk awareness, and compliance with safety regulations.
• Develop, track, and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) including labour optimization, overtime, throughput rates, and inventory.

Your Background

In order to be successful in this role you will have:

• Minimum 5 years of operations leadership experience, responsible for leading manufacturing and logistics teams for a fast paced manufacturing business.
• Proven experience in manufacturing and logistics operations management experience, specifically in developing and building high performing groups in a safe manner. 
• Knowledge of concepts and methodologies relating to inventory management. 
• Thorough understanding of production planning within a food manufacturing environment. 
• Strong continuous improvement background with a good grasp of sophisticated continuous improvement methodologies such as LEAN / Six Sigma and 5Y problem-solving tools.
• Good commercial acumen, able to understand and manage finances with the ability to identify the key cost drivers in a fast-paced food plant.
• Strong communication, coaching, consultation and negotiation skills with an ability to engage and influence internal stakeholders.