Offering a salary of circa £60,000 per annum, this role is ideal for an experienced operations professional with a strong background in central production units, food manufacturing, or large-scale production kitchens.
Job Role
Reporting to the Operations Director, the Central Kitchen Operations Manager will take full responsibility for the day-to-day running of a high-volume production facility, overseeing production, dispatch, compliance, team leadership, and continuous improvement activities.
Managing a large multi-shift team, you will ensure products are produced safely, efficiently, and to the highest quality standards while maintaining operational performance, food safety compliance, and financial targets.
Responsibilities
* Lead and develop Production Managers, Supervisors, Dispatch teams, and Production Operatives across day and night shifts.
* Oversee all production planning, staffing allocation, and operational workflow activities.
* Ensure products are manufactured to specification, maintaining quality, portion control, packaging, and allergen compliance standards.
* Manage daily dispatch operations, ensuring orders are fulfilled accurately and delivered on time.
* Maintain compliance with SALSA/BRC, HACCP, traceability, and food safety standards at all times.
* Oversee all production records, temperature monitoring, batch traceability, and audit documentation.
* Ensure equipment maintenance, cleaning schedules, and operational standards are consistently maintained.
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, waste reduction, and operational performance.
* Take ownership of the operational P&L, managing labour, waste, purchasing, and overhead costs.
* Produce and analyse operational and financial reports to support business performance.
* Manage supplier relationships and challenge performance where necessary.
* Lead operational improvement and infrastructure projects, including automation and process optimisation initiatives.
* Work closely with Supply Chain, Finance, Retail Operations, and Product Development teams to support business growth and operational scalability.
Personal Profile
* Significant experience within a Central Kitchen, CPU, food manufacturing, or large-scale food production environment.
* Previous experience operating at Operations Manager level or similar senior leadership role.
* Strong working knowledge of SALSA/BRC, HACCP, food safety, and traceability systems.
* Proven experience managing large teams across multiple shifts, including night operations.
* Strong financial and commercial awareness with experience managing operational budgets and KPIs.
* Excellent organisational and leadership skills with the ability to drive high performance.
* Experience implementing SOPs, operational workflows, and continuous improvement initiatives.
* Calm and solutions-focused approach within fast-paced operational environments.
* Passionate about operational excellence, quality, and team development.
Benefits include:
* Discretionary performance based bonus
* Bupa healthcare
* Free food and drink on shift
Ref Code: CV13283
To apply, please send your comprehensive CV in strict confidence, quoting the reference above and for the attention of Jon Hemming-Nash. Please include current salary details within your application.
Due to high response levels, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you have not received a response within one week, regrettably your application has not been successful on this occasion
Salary description
£55000.00 - £65000.00 per year