Operations Manager

Packhouse Operations Manager

• Salary: £40,000 to £50,000
• Location: Staffordshire
• Job Type: Full-time

We are recruiting for a leading soft fruit farm in the Staffordshire countryside, for a Packhouse Operations Manager. This role involves leading a team of up to 80 staff, managing over 6,000 tonnes of soft fruit annually. We are looking for someone with a passion for operational excellence and knowledge of best practices in food packing to enhance service quality and optimize our processes.

Day-to-day of the role:

• Manage production on the shop floor in the packhouse and warehouses, seeking continuous improvement and identifying risks to production efficiencies.
• Oversee the maintenance of packhouse equipment, ensuring it is fit for purpose and integrating new technology where viable.
• Develop the packhouse team, including recruiting new talent, coaching, and performance management.
• Maintain up-to-date and compliant packhouse technical documentation.
• Coordinate staff working schedules to meet demand while adhering to ethical and legal standards.
• Monitor health and safety to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Manage the packhouse budget and monitor production costs to provide actionable business insights.
• Handle packhouse-related procurement to ensure availability of items and eliminate waste.
• Manage visits by external third parties, acting as the primary contact for customer visits and external audits.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Proven ability to lead and motivate a diverse team.
• Strong knowledge of best practices in food packing and the ability to implement these to drive operational excellence.
• Effective communication skills, capable of managing customer interactions and auditor relations.
• Strong sense of ownership, willing to address issues out of hours if necessary.
• BRC compliance awareness and experience hosting BRC or third-party audits.
• Multilingual abilities (e.g., Russian, Romanian).

Benefits:

• Competitive salary with performance bonuses.
• Opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing sector.
• Leadership role in a sustainable and innovative farming operation.

To apply for the Packhouse Operations Manager position, please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are interested in this role.