Operations Manager

Operations Manager - Food Manufacturing
Location: Co Tyrone

Contact Conor O’Hagan

A growing food manufacturing company is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations at their plant. The role focuses on production management, compliance, planning, and hygiene, ensuring efficient and safe manufacturing in line with industry standards. The ideal candidate will drive continuous improvements in productivity, quality, and cost-efficiency, contributing to the company’s growth.

Top 3 Things to Know About This Role:

1. Leadership & Impact: You’ll lead production teams, driving performance against efficiency and quality targets.
2. Compliance Focus: Ensure adherence to food safety standards (HACCP, BRC, HSE) and maintain high hygiene and audit readiness.
3. Continuous Improvement: Implement lean manufacturing principles and work on cost-saving initiatives to optimize plant operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the production and operations teams to meet output, quality, and efficiency targets.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards, HACCP, and HSE regulations.
• Oversee planning and scheduling to meet customer demand and deadlines.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement (CI), waste reduction, and lean manufacturing practices.
• Monitor KPIs, including OEE, downtime, yield, and labour efficiency.
• Ensure effective execution of preventative maintenance schedules.
• Work with the Technical/Quality team to uphold hygiene standards and audit readiness.
• Lead staff development through training, performance management, and succession planning.
• Manage health and safety systems, risk assessments, and foster a safety-first culture.
• Control budgets for labour, materials, energy, and overheads to align with company goals.
• Support new product development and engineering projects with operational insight.
• Serve as the key contact for senior management, auditors, and external stakeholders.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• At least 5 years’ experience in a food manufacturing operations management role.
• In-depth knowledge of HACCP, HSE compliance, and food safety standards.
• Proven leadership skills in motivating production teams in a high-paced environment.
• Strong communication, organisational, and analytical skills.
• Experience with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to manage competing priorities under pressure.

Remuneration & Benefits:

• Strong salary based on experience
• Pension scheme
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Performance-based incentives

For further information, and to apply for this Operations Manager position or other engineering opportunities, please contact Conor O’Hagan or visit our website.

Expert, confidential recruitment advice

Salary is usually negotiable, salary details listed are to be used as a guide and are based on factors such as your experience and expertise.

We reserve the right to heighten short listing criteria dependent upon the calibre of response.