Our partner is a fast-growing premium food business looking to appoint a Central Kitchen Operations Manager to oversee and optimise operations within a large scale central production environment supplying multiple sites. This is an operational leadership role focused on driving efficiency, food safety, production performance, and continuous improvement across a complex and fast paced kitchen/manufacturing operation. The successful candidate will play a key role in scaling operational processes, improving structure, and supporting the wider growth of the business.
Key Responsibilities:
- Oversee daily operations within the central kitchen/production facility, ensuring smooth and efficient production output
- Lead, manage, and develop large operational teams across multiple shifts, including production, dispatch, hygiene, and warehouse functions
- Implement and improve SOPs, operational procedures, and production workflows to enhance efficiency, consistency, and scalability
- Ensure full compliance with food safety, quality, and audit standards including SALSA, HACCP, allergen management, and traceability systems
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives across production, labour utilisation, waste reduction, and operational performance
- Manage operational KPIs including productivity, yield, downtime, wastage, labour costs, and service levels
- Take ownership of site operational budgets and contribute to wider P&L performance through strong cost control and resource planning
- Support automation, systems implementation, and broader operational improvement projects as the business continues to scale
- Work closely with senior leadership and cross functional teams including supply chain, procurement, finance, technical, and commercial functions
- Ensure production planning and capacity management align with business demand and growth objectives
- Maintain a strong health & safety culture across the site
Requirements:
- Significant experience within a Central Production Unit (CPU), central kitchen, food manufacturing, or large-scale fresh food environment
- Strong understanding of SALSA standards, HACCP principles, traceability systems, and food manufacturing compliance requirements
- Proven experience building and implementing SOPs, operational processes, and scalable production workflows
- Demonstrated experience managing large operational teams within fast-paced production environments
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including labour management, budgeting, and P&L ownership
- Experience leading operational transformation, process improvement, or automation projects
- Confident stakeholder management skills with the ability to work cross-functionally across operational and leadership teams
- Hands on leadership style with the ability to balance strategic improvement initiatives with day-to-day operational management
- Comfortable operating within a fast-growth, evolving business environment
This role would suit an operationally strong food manufacturing or central kitchen professional who enjoys building structure, driving efficiency, and leading teams within a dynamic and scaling environment.
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