Operations Director

Executive Search: Operations Director - Board Level - Leading UK Food Location: NorfolkExecutive Package: Highly Competitive Salary, Performance Bonus, and Comprehensive Benefits This is an exceptional opportunity to join the Executive Team and Board of Directors of a highly respected, market-leading UK food business. We are seeking a visionary and results-oriented Operations Director to lead the entire operational portfolio and drive strategic long-term growth. Reporting directly to the Managing Director , the Operations Director will represent Operations on the Board and be accountable for the safety, performance, and strategic direction of all operational aspects of the business. The core mandate includes:

• Organising and overseeing the Safety & Performance of Operations.
• Creating and delivering the Operations Long Term Growth plan.
• Ensuring the business meets current and future Commercial ambitions.
• Serving as the Ambassador for Best Available Technology , ensuring both business and people capabilities are future-proofed.

Scope of Accountability The successful candidate will be accountable for all Operational aspects of the business, including but not limited to:

• Three manufacturing and factory operational sites.
• Health, Safety, Environment (HSE), and Transport.
• Engineering, Maintenance, Capital Projects, Site Facilities, and Utilities, and Security.

Core Strategic Focus AreasStrategic Leadership & People Development

• Be an ambassador for Company Values, ensuring they are lived daily and embedded throughout Operations.
• Align and lead the Operational team to be engaged and high performing, delivering key KPIs that flow through to bottom line results.
• Ensure operational activities are suitably resourced, and that staff have the required competencies and are coached, mentored, and developed.
• Develop, review, and deliver positive KPI results across Productivity, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Safety, Environmental, and People development.

Manufacturing Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Promote manufacturing best practice and performance standards, staying updated with industry trends.
• Define site capabilities using a live capacity model based on OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and TEEP (Total Effective Equipment Performance).
• Identify improvement areas, research new technology, and maintain a necessary Capex and Opex pipeline of improvements.
• Drive continuous improvement through expertise in methodologies including: OEE, TEEP, Root Cause Analysis, Process Mapping, De-Bottlenecking, SPC, 5S, Kaizen, and Hoshin Kanri.

Financial & Capital Oversight

• Identify and implement cost efficiencies in conjunction with the Finance Director.
• Set and deliver the Business Unit budget in accordance with the business strategy.
• Develop requirements for Capital funding for asset replacement, production efficiency improvement, new product development, and safety/environmental compliance.

The Ideal Candidate You are a highly experienced Operations Director (or equivalent) with proven board-level presence, ideally gained within the food manufacturing, high-care, or complex processing industries. You must have a demonstrable passion for operational excellence and a working knowledge of appropriate ISO standards (9001/14001/45001/50001). You thrive on leading change and fostering positive engagement across all functions and stakeholders. Apply Today For a confidential discussion about this critical Board position and to receive the full candidate pack, please submit your CV and covering letter, detailing your experience in relation to the key accountabilities, to Scott Executive.