Production Director – Halls of Scotland
£50m+ Turnover Site | Production-Led Leadership | Fast-Moving Food Manufacturing
Location: Prestwick
Group: Browns Food Group (£300m+ turnover)
Shape the Future of Scottish Food Manufacturing
Are you a hands-on, commercially minded leader with deep production and operational expertise?
Can you lead a large-scale manufacturing site with agility, pace, and strategic clarity?
Do you thrive in dynamic, family-owned businesses where trust, speed, and people matter?
Halls of Scotland, a key subsidiary of Browns Food Group, is seeking a Production Director to lead operations at its flagship £50+ million Prestwick site. This is a production-led, site-critical leadership role reporting directly to the CEO of Browns Food Group, working closely with senior leaders across the Group’s multi-site network.
This is a rare opportunity to lead transformational growth across both fresh and frozen product lines, in a business that prizes decisive leadership, cross-site collaboration, and long-term customer relationships.
About Us
Browns Food Group is one of the UK’s most respected family-owned food manufacturers, supplying high-quality meat and convenience food products across retail, foodservice, and export markets. With a growth target of £500 million turnover and a strong commitment to local sourcing and operational excellence, Browns is known for making fast, bold decisions in an ever-changing market.
Halls of Scotland is a household name and one of the most strategically important businesses within the Group. With over 200 employees and a fast-paced operation, the Prestwick site produces a broad range of branded and own-label chilled and frozen food products for UK and international customers.
The Role: Production Director
As Production Director, you will take full ownership of site performance across all areas of production and operations — from factory floor to boardroom. You will drive manufacturing excellence while fostering a strong team culture, ensuring the site remains agile, compliant, and ready to respond to customer and market demands.
You will report directly to the CEO of Browns Food Group and work closely with other site directors and Group functions (e.g. technical, commercial, finance) to align on Group priorities, investment opportunities, and cross-site collaboration.
Key Responsibilities
Production and Operational Leadership
* Lead all operational departments, including production, engineering, planning, technical, H&S, and logistics.
* Drive high performance across KPIs: yield, mass balance, quality, efficiency, labour, OEE, and waste.
* Ensure site readiness for spikes in demand, reactive production changes, and rapid market shifts.
P&L and Site Management
* Own the site P&L and budgets, ensuring alignment with commercial targets and financial controls.
* Lead cost management initiatives while maintaining quality and output standards.
Strategic Execution
* Implement site-level strategies in alignment with Group growth plans, including automation, NPD enablement, and capacity expansion.
* Support capital investment projects and continuous improvement across infrastructure and systems.
Cross-Site Collaboration
* Work collaboratively with other Browns Food Group sites to share best practices, align on operational efficiencies, and drive synergies.
* Contribute to Group-wide forums on production strategy, quality assurance, and risk mitigation.
Culture and Leadership
* Build and sustain a high-trust culture with clear communication, strong relationships, and personal accountability.
* Champion succession planning and people development, recognising that strong teams drive long-term value.
Compliance and Governance
* Ensure robust compliance with all technical, food safety, H&S, environmental, and audit standards including SEDEX, Red Tractor, and export regulations.
Person Specification
We are seeking an action-oriented, credible leader who can operate at pace, think strategically, and lead operational excellence from the front.
You will be able to:
* Influence and engage at CEO and Group board level.
* Build strong working relationships within a family-owned business culture.
* Make quick, informed decisions based on operational reality and data.
* Motivate and empower cross-functional teams in a performance-driven environment.
* Operate effectively in fresh, chilled, and frozen food production environments.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential:
* 10+ years of senior production/operations leadership in food manufacturing.
* Experience leading a high-volume site with £50m+ turnover and 200+ employees.
* Strong understanding of chilled and frozen food processes and regulations.
* Proven success in lean manufacturing, digital systems (e.g., MES/ERP/SI), and process optimisation.
* Evidence of leading change and performance improvement in fast-paced environments.
Desirable:
* Degree in Engineering, Food Technology, Operations Management, or related discipline.
* Chartered membership (e.g., IMechE, IFST, IOSH, CMI).
* Experience in family-owned or entrepreneurial business settings.
* Knowledge of working within export markets and dealing with UK major retailers.
Why Join Us?
At Halls of Scotland, you’ll be more than a functional lead — you’ll be the driving force behind our flagship site’s success. You’ll be part of a family-run group that values decisiveness, trust, and people-first leadership.
This is your opportunity to take one of Scotland’s most iconic food production sites into its next era — one built on operational agility and high-performance teams.
How to Apply
Send your CV and covering letter outlining your suitability for the role to: eilidh.mckendrick@brownsfoodgroup.com
Deadline: 7th July 2025
No Agencies Please.