Operations Manager

The role reports to the General Manager, has 3 direct reports and indirect responsibility to manage 130+ employees, provides strong leadership for all site (24/7) production activities, from raw material receival to finished goods despatch.

The operation produces ~25,000 tonnes per year across 7 manufacturing lines producing Jordan’s Granola, Country Crisp and Frusli Bars, this role will ensure optimal operational performance is delivered and that we continuously improve team engagement, personal safety, food safety, and cost performance.

This role has accountability for delivery of the production plan and key KBIs, that include Health, Safety & Environment, Quality, Hygiene, Production Volumes, Costs (cost per tonne & material yields), Equipment Efficiencies & MSA.

Key Accountabilities:

• May Deputise for the Site General Manager. Understands the broader objectives / able to stand back see the broader picture.
• Accountable for promoting and driving a health & safety and food safety culture, ensuring all policies and processes are implemented and adhered to
• Ensures that the operation complies with all legislation and ethical standards with regards to safety, food safety, quality, environmental and employee legislation
• Works closely and co-operatively with supporting functional teams to drive performance of the site, in relation to health & safety, food safety, cost, operations and human resources.
• Ensures all aspects of operations are covered across multiple shift teams, ensuring the effective and efficient utilisation of employees, equipment, materials, and processes.
• Working collaboratively with the site management team and key stakeholders to ensure improvements are always maintained and built upon across the site.
• Ensures that succession plans are in place for all levels and that employees are actively working through their development plans.
• Drives and sustains an environment of Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence from operator level right through to the senior team.
• Ensures all staff are trained and developed to meet current and future requirements both technically and behaviourally.
• Owns the Operations budget. Forecast and deliver the agreed budget ensuring that risks and opportunities are clearly identified and acted upon. Managing site operational costs to deliver cost per case.
• Ensuring the operational site risk registers are in place with clear demonstration of appropriate risk management and mitigation through responsible actions that will deliver year on year risk reduction.
• Fully responsible for ensuring measures and KBIs on inventory and stock health are adhered to and improved upon. Ensures stock and stock accuracy are improved upon year on year.
• Delivers a flexible operation that is well equipped to respond to changing demand levels and customer mix.
• Works closely with R & D, Technical and Procurement functions to support product and process development whilst maintaining flexibility of the manufacturing facility.
• Ensuring that NPD and EPD is at the forefront of minds, driving a growth agenda in the business whilst being able to manage risk appropriately.
• Ensuring that external compliance audits are continually maintained and improved upon year on year- BRC, Soil Association, SML, MEIS, ISO 14001 and Kosher. Any internal JDR audits or ABF audits also to be given priority and continually improved upon

Top/Priorities/Opportunities/Challenges:

• Continually improving the safety and food safety performance across the sites.
• Supporting a culture of continuous improvement with well-established teams.
• Lead cost control and risk management activities through an expectation of high performing culture.
• Delivery of a balanced scorecard through People leadership and change management particularly on culture change.
• Expert knowledge of coaching operations teams to perform at their best.
• Delivering Objectives
• Managing change and supporting the seamless transition for new activities- i.e. products, recipes, standards, processes, and projects.
• Embed root cause analysis methodology to reduce the non-conformances and incidents within operations to support   continuous performance improvement.

Workplace Factors:

• Working in an environment that handles nuts regularly.
• Working in an environment that handles gluten.
• Working in an environment that handles sesame.
• Working in an environment that can have high ambient temperatures.
• Working in an environment where PPE is required to be worn.
• Flexible, role does look after a 24/7 operation.