Operations Lead

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The Site Operations Lead provides experienced, visible leadership across site manufacturing operations, ensuring the safe, compliant and efficient delivery of customer requirements. 

The role is accountable for production performance and for embedding a sustainable continuous improvement culture that strengthens Safety, Quality, Service, Cost, People and Sustainability outcomes. 

Working as a key member of the Site Leadership Team, the role aligns Production, Engineering, Food Safety & Quality, Supply Chain and support functions around clear priorities, disciplined performance routines and practical improvement plans.

Key responsibilities

In this role you will: 

• Improve site performance across Safety, Quality, Service, Cost, People, and Sustainability metrics.
• Consistently deliver production plans while improving efficiency and reliability.
• Build a strong pipeline of continuous improvement projects with verified business benefits.
• Enhance audit readiness and compliance performance.
• Develop a highly capable and engaged manufacturing team.
• Create a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous learning.

Develop High-Performing Teams

• Build an engaged, accountable, and inclusive manufacturing culture.
• Coach and develop operational leaders and frontline teams.
• Strengthen succession planning and capability development across the function.

Partner Across the Business

• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, HR, and other site functions.
• Lead cross-functional projects and improvement programmes that deliver sustainable business results.
• Provide operational insight and strategic input to the Site Leadership Team.

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Lead Safe and Compliant Operations

• Champion a safety-first culture through visible leadership and proactive risk management.
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, environmental, food safety, quality, and regulatory standards.
• Lead incident investigations and ensure effective, sustainable corrective actions are implemented.

Deliver Operational Excellence

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations to achieve production plans and customer service commitments.
• Drive performance against key metrics including OTIF, OEE, yield, waste reduction, throughput, and labour productivity.
• Ensure resources, equipment, materials, and people are aligned to business demand.

Drive Continuous Improvement

• Develop and execute a site continuous improvement roadmap aligned to business priorities.
• Lead Lean initiatives and coach teams in structured problem solving and operational excellence methodologies.
• Deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, reliability, quality, and cost performance

Qualifications and skills

• Degree qualified or equivalent experience in Manufacturing, Engineering, Food Science, or a related discipline.
• Significant leadership experience within food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record of leading operational performance in a complex manufacturing setting.
• Strong understanding of health & safety, quality, food safety, and environmental requirements.
• Experience leading Lean, Continuous Improvement, and operational transformation initiatives.
• Strong analytical and commercial mindset with the ability to translate data into action.
• Experience managing production planning, resource utilisation, and operational performance.
• Outstanding people leadership, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.
• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification.
• HACCP/Food Safety Level 3 certification.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems.
• Project leadership experience with demonstrated delivery of measurable business benefits.