Assistant Operations Manager
Gilfresh Produce Ltd is a fast-growing FMCG family business dedicated to growing, sourcing, and packing the highest quality fresh produce for leading retailers. Built on strong family values, we operate a highly dynamic production environment that prides itself on efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement.
We are currently seeking a proactive, energetic, and highly organised Assistant Operations Manager to join our team. This is a brilliant opportunity for a hands-on professional to step into a pivotal leadership role, driving day-to-day manufacturing excellence and managing peak seasonal volumes within a successful agri-food business.
Job Title: Assistant Operations Manager
Department: Operations
Reports To: General Manager
Responsible For: Planners
The Opportunity
Stepping into this role, you will collaborate with the Operations and Group Leadership teams to direct daily manufacturing activities across all packhouse and yard facilities. Operating within a high-volume, dynamic setting, you will be instrumental in driving production efficiency, maintaining quality standards, and coordinating our diverse workforce.
Serving as a critical connector, you will ensure seamless operational flow by reducing downtime and spearheading continuous improvement projects. Your efforts will ensure that our fresh produce is expertly handled and dispatched to meet rigorous retailer requirements and demanding logistics schedules.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Management & Planning
- Support the Operations Managers and General Manager in directing and coordinating day-to-day production activities across all packhouses.
- Maintain high standards of organization, efficiency, and strict process control on the production floor to meet daily output, quality, and delivery targets.
- Identify and escalate operational bottlenecks promptly, proposing and executing practical solutions to minimize downtime.
- Assist with coordinating labor allocations, setting production priorities, and optimizing operational resources.
- Support production planning activities to guarantee customer orders are fulfilled on time and in full.
- Lead and support seasonal operational planning for critical high-volume periods, including pumpkins, sprouts, Christmas, and Easter production.
People & Team Leadership
- Work closely with Packhouse and Transport Managers to assist them in achieving their daily operational performance targets.
- Ensure managers maintain sufficient levels of trained, competent, and legally compliant staff (including food hygiene certifications, health & safety training, and valid driver/forklift licensing).
- Build strong working relationships across the site, acting as a smooth, collaborative communication bridge between the packhouses and the transport desk to resolve intake/dispatch conflicts effectively.
- Monitor staff attendance, conduct, and performance, working alongside operational managers to escalate people issues to HR in line with company procedures.
Health, Safety & Compliance
- Actively promote, champion, and monitor compliance with Health & Safety protocols across all operations.
- Collaborate with the Health & Safety department to conduct, review, and condition operational risk assessments.
- Ensure all incidents, near misses, and hazards are reported, thoroughly investigated, and actioned in a timely manner.
- Adhere strictly to Company Health & Safety, Food Safety, and Allergen Procedures, ensuring correct PPE is worn and excellent hygiene standards are maintained.
Quality, Food Safety & Audit Readiness
- Conduct regular on-site evaluations of the packhouses and yard to ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs), food safety regulations, and risk assessments are actively upheld.
- Work dynamically with the Quality team to address and resolve customer complaints and audit findings quickly and effectively.
- Support internal and external audits, retail customer visits, and regulatory hygiene inspections to ensure a constant "audit-ready" environment.
Continuous Improvement & Reporting
- Support Lean Manufacturing practices and continuous improvement initiatives to eliminate operational inefficiencies, boost productivity, and reduce costs.
- Monitor, analyze, and review operational KPIs and production data, including line efficiency, labor utilization, waste, and downtime.
- Formulate and implement robust corrective action and improvement plans.
- Complete and submit weekly and monthly operational performance reports directly to the General Manager.
The Ideal Candidate
As a family business, we look for leaders who show humility, professional will, and a genuine desire to contribute to our long-term stability. To be successful in this role, you will bring:
- Experience: Proven experience working within food manufacturing operations (fresh produce experience is highly desirable) with a strong understanding of fast-paced processing environments.
- Industry Knowledge: Solid understanding of Food Safety, HACCP, and Health & Safety requirements, alongside experience supporting customer/supermarket audits.
- Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to review production data and implement corrective actions.
- Leadership & Communication: Impactful interpersonal and written communication skills, with a track record of managing competing priorities and coordinating cross-functional teams (e.g., Production, Planning, Quality, and Transport).
- Attributes: High attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and the resilience to thrive in a high-volume, seasonal, and fast-moving manufacturing environment.
What We Offer
- A competitive salary tailored to your experience.
- The opportunity to progress your career into senior operations management within a leading, scaling FMCG business.
- A supportive, collaborative, and fast-moving team environment.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- How do you plan on travelling to/from work?
1) Drive own Vehicle
2) Rely on lift/transport from Friend/Relative
3) Public Transport
4) Bike/Walk - Please provide an estimated time to travel
- What is your personal email address and phone number?
- We want to ensure this interview is accessible to you. Do you need any reasonable adjustments?
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
