Services Operations Director
Multi-Site Operations | Fresh Produce / Food Manufacturing / FMCG
Fresh People are recruiting for an experienced, commercially astute and highly analytical Services Operations Director to join a substantial, fast-paced, multi-site business operating within the fresh produce and food manufacturing sector.
This is a senior leadership appointment with a significant opportunity to influence operational performance, financial control, project delivery and the infrastructure that supports a complex manufacturing environment.
We are particularly interested in speaking with senior operational leaders who are exceptionally strong with numbers, data, budgets and project management, and who can bring structure, commercial discipline and measurable improvements across multiple operational functions.
Working closely with the wider senior leadership team, you will provide strategic oversight and governance across Projects, Packaging, Engineering, Facilities and Operational Services, ensuring these functions operate efficiently, remain financially controlled and deliver against business priorities.The Role
As Services Operations Director, you will be responsible for strengthening operational governance, improving financial accountability and ensuring effective delivery across multiple sites and support functions.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide senior leadership and operational governance across Projects, Packaging, Engineering, Facilities and associated services.
- Lead budget management, overhead control, financial forecasting and variance analysis, ensuring clear visibility of operational expenditure.
- Analyse financial and operational data to identify trends, inefficiencies, cost-saving opportunities and performance improvements.
- Establish robust KPI reporting, management information, performance reviews and structured accountability across functions and sites.
- Oversee multiple operational projects, ensuring clear ownership of budgets, milestones, risks, resources and delivery timelines.
- Drive improvements in project governance, operational infrastructure and cross-functional service delivery.
- Strengthen supplier, contractor and service-provider management, including contract performance and commercial effectiveness.
- Standardise operational governance, reporting processes and performance expectations across multiple locations.
- Work collaboratively with the Production Operations Director to ensure the business has the infrastructure, resources and support required to deliver.
- Provide clear reporting to senior leadership on financial performance, project progress, operational risks and improvement priorities.
- Develop and support functional managers, promoting accountability, commercial awareness and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Champion a safety-first approach, ensuring operational risks are identified, escalated and effectively managed.
About You
We are looking for a confident, highly organised and commercially focused senior leader who combines operational experience with exceptional analytical and financial capability.
Essential Experience & Skills
- Proven senior operational leadership experience within food manufacturing, fresh produce, FMCG, manufacturing, logistics, 3PL or a comparable fast-paced operational environment.
- Demonstrable multi-site leadership experience across at least two operational locations.
- Strong financial acumen, with experience managing substantial operational budgets, overheads, forecasts and cost variances.
- Excellent numerical and analytical capability, with the ability to interpret complex operational information and translate data into business improvements.
- Proven experience overseeing operational projects, including budget management, delivery milestones, reporting and risk control.
- Experience leading or governing cross-functional operational support activities, ideally including Engineering, Facilities, Packaging or Projects.
- Strong understanding of operational KPIs, performance reporting, management information and accountability frameworks.
- Commercially astute, with experience managing suppliers, contractors, service agreements and associated expenditure.
- Ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders while building effective working relationships across multiple functions.
- Strong leadership capability, with experience developing managers and driving performance through others.
Particularly Advantageous
- Experience overseeing capital investment, infrastructure improvements or operational transformation projects.
- Strong exposure to ERP systems, management reporting tools, advanced Excel or Power BI.
- Experience establishing standardised financial and operational reporting across multiple sites.
- A track record of delivering measurable cost reductions, efficiency improvements and successful cross-functional projects.
What Makes This Opportunity Different?
This position offers the opportunity to make a genuine impact on the way a complex, multi-site business operates.
You will have the autonomy and senior-level influence to strengthen financial governance, improve management information, establish disciplined project delivery and create greater consistency across critical operational functions.
It is particularly well suited to an experienced operational leader who enjoys getting into the detail of the numbers, challenging performance, managing complex projects and using data to drive meaningful business decisions.
You will work alongside an established senior leadership team, with the opportunity to develop management capability, improve operational standards and contribute directly to the future growth and performance of the business.Interested?
Apply today or contact Fresh People for a confidential discussion about this senior leadership opportunity
