Interim Factory Manager – Food Manufacturing
High-Impact Transformation Assignment
Location: South Wales
6–12 Month Interim Contract
Circa £600 per day + expenses
A highly regarded and fast-evolving food manufacturing business is seeking an exceptional Interim Factory Manager to take operational control of a small but strategically important standalone manufacturing site in South Wales.
This is not a “steady state” factory leadership role.
This is a genuine transformation assignment requiring somebody capable of rapidly stabilising an operation, rebuilding standards, restoring accountability and creating a clear, sustainable operational roadmap for the future.
The site currently operates across two shifts with a headcount of approximately 35 employees. While the operation has potential, significant work is required across operational discipline, leadership capability, site standards, manufacturing controls, health & safety, engineering/fabrication oversight and overall cultural effectiveness.
The organisation is not looking for somebody who simply identifies problems.
They are looking for an experienced leader who has personally led operational recovery and transformation within food manufacturing environments before, somebody capable of entering a difficult environment, quickly diagnosing root causes, winning credibility on the shop floor and implementing practical, commercially sensible solutions that genuinely improve performance.
Importantly, this is not about simply throwing money at problems or recommending large-scale investment.
The business wants an individual capable of unpicking operational complexity, improving ways of working, strengthening leadership standards and creating a far more disciplined, accountable and sustainable manufacturing operation.
This assignment requires somebody highly visible, highly hands-on and comfortable operating at pace within an environment requiring immediate intervention.
The Opportunity
Reporting into senior operational leadership, you will assume responsibility for the day-to-day running, stabilisation and transformation of the site.
You will be expected to quickly assess operational reality, identify critical risks and implement immediate corrective actions across areas including:
- Health & Safety standards and site compliance
- Manufacturing discipline and operational controls
- Leadership effectiveness and accountability
- Workforce capability and performance management
- Factory culture and behavioural standards
- Engineering/fabrication effectiveness
- Process flow, efficiencies and waste reduction
- Communication structures and operational governance
- Site ownership, visibility and leadership presence
- Longer-term operational improvement planning
This role requires somebody capable of balancing strategic thinking with genuine operational credibility.
The successful individual will be as comfortable challenging operational standards on the factory floor as they are presenting recovery plans and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
What We Are Looking For
We are specifically seeking individuals who have previously delivered operational turnaround or transformation assignments within food manufacturing environments.
You will bring:
- Proven factory leadership experience within food manufacturing
- Significant experience operating within challenging or underperforming food manufacturing environments
- A track record of stabilising operations and improving standards quickly
- Strong operational and manufacturing discipline
- Experience improving Health & Safety culture and compliance
- Strong people leadership capability within blue-collar manufacturing environments
- The ability to challenge constructively and drive accountability
- Excellent operational judgement and decision-making capability
- A practical, sleeves-rolled-up leadership style
- Credibility with both shop floor teams and senior leadership stakeholders
This assignment will suit somebody who thrives on fixing problems, creating structure from ambiguity and delivering visible operational improvement within demanding environments.
The Individual
The successful individual is likely to be:
Calm under pressure.
Operationally credible.
Highly resilient.
Direct but fair.
Hands-on by nature.
Commercially aware.
Visible and engaging on site.
Action-oriented.
Comfortable making difficult decisions.
Focused on sustainable improvement rather than temporary fixes.
Most importantly, you will understand what “good” genuinely looks like within food manufacturing operations and know how to move an operation towards it quickly.
Assignment Details
- Interim contract: 6–12 months
- Circa £600 per day plus expenses
- South Wales
- Food manufacturing experience essential
- Immediate or short-notice availability essential
This is a rare opportunity to make a genuinely visible impact within a business committed to operational improvement and long-term change.
To apply please send your CV to or call 0115 870 0115 for more details
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