Production & Operations Director

Job Description

Pod Talent are proud to be partnering with a rapidly growing SME in Surrey on a brand new role.About our ClientAs one of the UKs leading and fastest growing gut health brands, they are at the vanguard of an incredible new frontier in health and wellness. Only very recently have people started to realise the critical role the gut plays in supporting the digestivesystem, regulating the immune system but also in communicating with other organs around the body. Our client is a truly unique business in this space - combining world class science and research with a fast-moving D2C model that puts the consumer at the heartof decisions.The Role - Production & Operations DirectorOur client has major growth ambitions, and you will play a key role in supporting our expansion in the UK and later overseas. This role will be responsible for the continuous improvement of the core operations in the business to help them scale and accelerategrowth. They are expecting to invest significantly in scaling up manufacturing capacity & capability and introducing new products and formulations.It is an incredibly exciting time for the team, which has recently been recognised in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list of fastest growth private companies.The successful candidate will be responsible for all the production and operational aspects of the business and have the opportunity to take the lead on our core processes within the business in what will be a fast-paced and dynamic environment. On-targetdevelopment for the right candidate is expected to result in a "step-change" career opportunity.The Responsibilities:

• Lead the business operations and production teams through a period of accelerating growth.

• Implement planned changes in the production and quality systems to reduce process time and increase flexibility to demand planning and new product innovation.

• Lead the development of a new manufacturing site to accelerate further scaling.

• Ensure there is a high level of resilience in production operations and an effective contingency plan.

• Lead the organisation to implement first class food safety practices through BRC compliance.

• Lead the development of a strong H&S culture across the whole organisation.

• Own the end-to-end logistics solution for the business, including third parties and future international scaling.

• Drive increased efficiency and scalability through continuous improvement of integrated supply chain planning and operational utilisation.

• Own and develop the overall facilities and their efficient operation across the organisation.

• Develop a high performing team capable of scaling up to new products and processes.

The person

• An intelligent, energetic and ambitious self-starter who is looking to take their career to the next level.

• Demonstrable track record of operational management in a fast-scaling food manufacturing business. With experience of working with own and contract manufacturing.

• Evidence of previous ownership for the COGs and LOGs portions of the P&L and sufficient financial literacy to plan and discuss.

• Worked in businesses with BRC or Salsa (ideally led a business through BRC or Salsa through the process)
• Qualification and/or experience with LEAN/Six Sigma or appropriate process control methods

• Experience across both operations and supply chain, fully end to end, from suppliers through to logistics.

• Experience of driving change, renewal of processes and embedding them into operational culture to reach the highest standards of compliance.

• A team player who enjoys helping others to develop and thrives in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, where rapid change is the norm.

• Ability to think strategically and plan over a 1-5-year time span.

Contact - Carl CostiganPod Talent are independent specialist recruiters in the Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics, Manufacturing and R&D space covering roles internationally from entry to board level. We recruit for roles including Supply Chain, Demand Planning, InventoryManagement, Direct and Indirect Procurement, Category Management, Logistics, Distribution, Warehousing, Production, Packaging, NPD and Quality Assurance. Please visit our website for all of our vacancies.

Keyskills :
Manufacturing Production Operations Director Manager Lean Sigma Food Leadership Project Continuous Improvement Warehouse Logistics Supply Chain Engine