Site Operations Manager – County Cavan

Site Operations Manager – County Cavan

Department: Operations
Reports to: Group Operations Manager

The Role

Our client is seeking an experienced Site Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of a busy food manufacturing facility.

The successful candidate will have a strong technical background in high-risk food manufacturing, particularly cooking and canning processes, together with proven operational leadership experience. A relevant technical qualification and previous experience managing production operations within a regulated food environment are highly desirable.

Reporting to the Group Operations Manager, this role is responsible for the safe, efficient and cost-effective operation of the site, ensuring production, quality, maintenance, health & safety and customer service objectives are consistently achieved. The successful candidate will also contribute to the development and implementation of operational strategies, continuous improvement initiatives and business objectives.

Key ResponsibilitiesOperational Leadership

• Lead, plan and coordinate all site operations to ensure production targets are achieved safely, efficiently and in compliance with customer, legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Manage daily production activities across the site and any associated operations as required.
• Develop production planning and storage strategies in collaboration with Sales and Planning teams.
• Ensure customer requirements are fulfilled accurately, cost-effectively and within agreed delivery schedules.
• Support new product introduction and process implementation initiatives.
• Oversee site quality standards in collaboration with the Technical team.
• Ensure preventative maintenance programmes are implemented to maximise equipment reliability and minimise downtime.
• Drive operational improvements to increase productivity, reduce waste and improve efficiency.

Performance & Financial Management

• Monitor daily operational KPIs including productivity, labour efficiency, yields, downtime, wastage and operating costs.
• Prepare and manage annual operating budgets, including labour, overheads, utilities, maintenance and capital expenditure.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction while maintaining product quality and service standards.
• Deliver production output in line with agreed commercial objectives.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop production managers, supervisors and operational teams.
• Determine staffing requirements and develop workforce plans in conjunction with HR and Industrial Engineering.
• Conduct performance reviews and support employee development through structured appraisal processes.
• Promote positive employee relations through effective communication, engagement and conflict resolution.
• Develop site training plans in partnership with HR.
• Lead regular operational meetings and implement effective performance management processes.

Health, Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Promote a strong safety-first culture across all departments.
• Ensure compliance with all Health & Safety, Food Safety, Quality and Environmental standards.
• Maintain compliance with relevant customer, legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure operational activities meet quality specifications and customer expectations.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives to improve efficiency and eliminate non-value-added activities.
• Lead daily performance meetings and monitor improvement actions through agreed KPIs.
• Implement operational improvement projects to increase throughput and reduce manufacturing costs.
• Support wider business improvement initiatives and share best practice across multiple sites.

Reporting

Provide regular operational reporting including:

• Labour efficiency and productivity.
• Production performance.
• Downtime and equipment utilisation.
• Recruitment and retention metrics.
• Attendance and absenteeism.
• Operational KPIs and improvement initiatives.
• Budget and cost performance.

Knowledge, Skills & ExperienceEssential Requirements

• Relevant qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Significant experience managing operations within a high-risk food manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of cooking, thermal processing and/or canning operations.
• Proven leadership experience managing production teams within a manufacturing environment.
• Excellent commercial awareness and financial management skills.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience managing production planning, quality, maintenance and operational performance.
• Excellent communication, organisational and people management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.

Personal Attributes

• Results-driven with strong leadership capability.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong decision-making and influencing skills.
• Collaborative approach with the ability to build relationships across departments.
• Committed to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Customer-focused with a proactive and hands-on management style.