The Role:

• As the Operations Executive, you will take full accountability for one of our manufacturing sites, leading the plant’s leadership team to deliver on strategic objectives across safety, quality, cost, people, and performance. You will act as a key enabler of NBL’s broader supply chain strategy and play a critical role in driving the next chapter of sustainable growth and innovation in the organisation.
• This is not just a management role – it’s a leadership mandate. We are looking for a transformational leader who can inspire teams, challenge the status quo, and deliver tangible business results, all while upholding the integrity and values of our beloved brands.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership across manufacturing operations, ensuring alignment with business goals, values, and long-term objectives.
• Oversee end-to-end site performance, including production, safety, quality assurance, maintenance, and cost control.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and innovation through world-class manufacturing practices (WCM, Lean, Six Sigma).
• Ensure robust risk management, food safety, and compliance standards are embedded and sustained.
• Lead and develop a strong, engaged, and capable site leadership team, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Drive efficiency, flexibility, and agility in response to a fast-paced, demand-driven FMCG environment.
• Oversee the successful implementation of capital projects, sustainability initiatives, and technological upgrades.
• Serve as a key contributor to the broader supply chain executive team, shaping cross-functional priorities and strategy.

 What You Bring:

• A minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing or a related FMCG environment, ideally in complex, high-volume operations.
• Demonstrated experience in leading large-scale factory operations, with a track record of delivering sustained improvements in performance, cost, quality, and team engagement.
• Deep understanding of processing, high-speed packaging, and production planning systems.
• Strong grasp of industrial relations and experience managing within a unionised workforce.
• Proficiency in applying regulatory, safety, and quality compliance
• Excellent cross-functional business acumen, with the ability to collaborate effectively with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, HR, R&D, Marketing, and Finance.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Chemical) or Food Sciences is essential.
• A business-related post-graduate qualification (e.g. MBA, MBL, or Supply Chain Leadership) is highly advantageous.