Lead the future of a high-performing manufacturing site

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Site Director to lead the day to day operations of a significant food manufacturing site in Leicestershire.

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for the site’s operational performance, facilities and cross-functional leadership team. You will set the direction for the site, ensuring that strategy is translated into strong performance across people, quality, cost and delivery.

You will work as part of a wider category leadership team, contributing to business strategy, growth, profitability and operational governance. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious operational leader who can combine commercial awareness with a genuine passion for people, manufacturing excellence and continuous improvement.

The opportunity

As Site Director, you will lead a multi-functional senior team spanning engineering, people, technical, supply chain, health and safety and continuous improvement.

You will create the rhythm, structure and accountability needed to deliver the site strategy and annual budget, while remaining visible and connected to colleagues across the operation.

Key priorities will include:

• Developing and delivering a clear site operational strategy aligned with wider business objectives.

• Leading all site operations to achieve targets across people, quality, cost and delivery.

• Building a strong culture of engagement, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Championing the customer across the site and ensuring operational decisions support service, growth and commercial performance.

• Strengthening operational excellence and lean manufacturing capability.

• Developing site capability, capacity and manufacturing performance to meet changing customer and market requirements.

• Ensuring the site operates to the highest standards of health, safety, quality, environmental responsibility and employee wellbeing.

• Leading capital investment planning, including projects supporting innovation, capacity, efficiency and asset replacement.

• Maintaining effective business continuity, contingency and risk-management plans.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the site leadership team to create a high-performing and engaged operation.

• Establish clear performance standards and use data to identify trends, gaps and improvement opportunities.

• Ensure performance information is communicated effectively from senior leadership through to the shop floor.

• Lead disciplined root-cause problem solving and ensure that issues are made visible and addressed effectively.

• Set the pace for lean maturity and manufacturing excellence across the site.

• Mobilise colleagues across functions to deliver the operational agenda and create value.

• Identify capability gaps and develop plans to improve manufacturing capacity, flexibility, efficiency and service.

• Prepare and manage manufacturing capital budgets and investment projects.

• Support new product development and the introduction of technologies that can improve processes and performance.

• Build strong relationships with customers, internal stakeholders, regulators and relevant external bodies.

• Lead site communications and engagement, including involvement with the local community and statutory organisations.

• Support employee relations activity, including reward and pay discussions where required.

• Develop and test business continuity plans for significant operational and strategic risks.

• Contribute to the wider category strategy, governance, profitability and working capital objectives.

Experience

You will be an established operational leader with significant experience in food, drink, FMCG or another complex manufacturing environment.

You are likely to bring:

• Experience operating at Site Director, Site General Manager, Operations Director or equivalent level.

• A strong track record of leading multi-functional manufacturing teams.

• Experience delivering significant operational, cultural and systems change within a group-led business.

• Proven success implementing lean manufacturing and operational excellence principles.

• A fluent understanding of manufacturing financials, budgets, cost control and commercial performance.

• Experience managing performance across people, quality, cost and delivery.

• The ability to engage effectively with a large and diverse workforce.

• Experience leading capital projects, capacity development and continuous improvement programmes.

• Strong knowledge of health, safety, environmental and responsible-business requirements.

• Ideally, a degree or equivalent qualification in manufacturing, engineering, business or a related discipline.

Leadership style

The successful candidate will be a credible, visible and authentic leader who is comfortable being present across the site and engaging with colleagues at all levels.

Key Skills

• Calm, resilient and decisive under pressure.

• Collaborative in approach but prepared to make difficult decisions when required.

• Commercially aware and focused on delivering sustainable results.

• Passionate about developing people, strengthening capability and retaining talent.

• Skilled at communicating a compelling vision and bringing people with you through change.

• Comfortable taking ownership, using initiative and removing obstacles.

• A strong listener who builds trust through openness, consistency and follow-through.

• Focused on creating a positive, energetic and accountable culture.

This is a high-profile leadership role with the opportunity to shape the future performance, culture and capability of a major food manufacturing site.

You will have the influence to define the operational agenda, develop a talented leadership team and deliver improvements that support customers, colleagues and long term business growth.

If you are an experienced food or FMCG manufacturing leader ready to take ownership of a complex site and make a lasting impact, we would like to hear from you.

Please get in touch for more information on this exciting opportunity to lead, influence and drive growth in an established food manufacturing business or apply with your CV today.