New Job Opening: Head of Operations in Langham Court, 21 Langham Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE

Job Description

Location: East-Midlands

Reporting to: CEO

The Opportunity

Our client is looking to welcome an experienced Head of Operations to take overall responsibility for the operational performance of a fast-growing food manufacturing business.

Reporting directly to the CEO and operating as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will have end-to-end accountability across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics.

This is a pivotal role for an operational leader who can bring the structure, capability, commercial focus and operational discipline required to support significant growth.

The successful candidate will ideally have a proven track record of scaling or transforming operations within a fast-paced, entrepreneurial SME environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across production, warehousing, inventory, dispatch and logistics.


• Develop and implement the operational strategy required to support rapid and sustainable business growth.


• Build robust capacity plans covering labour, shifts, equipment, production capability, storage and transport.


• Ensure operational performance consistently meets the required standards for safety, quality, service, efficiency, waste and cost.


• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the end-to-end operation.


• Establish clear performance measures, KPIs and accountability across operational teams.


• Develop and strengthen the management team, creating a high-performing culture with clear ownership and responsibility.


• Work closely with the CEO and wider SLT on commercial, financial and strategic decisions.


• Support major customer launches, operational change programmes and capital investment projects.


• Ensure the operation is appropriately structured, resourced and equipped to support future growth.


• Maintain a strong presence on the factory floor, providing hands-on leadership while operating effectively at strategic and board-level discussions.


• Identify operational risks and opportunities proactively, developing practical solutions before issues become critical.

Essential Experience & Capabilities

The successful candidate will have:

• Senior leadership experience within food manufacturing.


• Proven accountability extending beyond production into warehousing, inventory, stock control, dispatch and logistics.


• Strong experience of capacity planning across labour, shifts, equipment, storage and transport.


• A demonstrable track record of successfully scaling, transforming or significantly improving an operation.


• Strong operational control across health & safety, quality, customer service, labour efficiency, waste and cost.


• Good commercial and financial understanding, with the ability to understand how operational decisions impact profitability and business performance.


• Strong people leadership skills, with a track record of developing managers and building capable, accountable teams.


• The credibility and practical understanding to lead effectively from the factory floor, combined with the strategic capability to operate as a member of the SLT.

The Ideal Candidate

You are likely to be someone who:

• Has worked within a growing, entrepreneurial SME, ideally in a high-paced food manufacturing environment.


• Has experience supporting significant customer launches, business growth and/or major capital investment.


• Is data-led, proactive and solutions-focused, using information to drive better operational decisions.


• Brings structure and discipline without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.


• Builds strong management capability rather than relying on constant firefighting.


• Is commercially minded and understands the balance between service, growth, quality, people and profitability.


• Is comfortable working at both a strategic level and getting directly involved in operational challenges when required.


• Has the energy, resilience and leadership style needed to take an operation through a significant period of growth and change.