Operational P&L Ownership | Group Reporting | Site Leadership
Business Unit Leadership within FMCG
A well-established, single-site consumer goods business is seeking a commercially focused and operationally driven Business Unit Director to lead and develop one of its key UK production divisions.
This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for operational performance, profitability, and structured reporting.
You will own the business unit — not just manage production.
The Role
As Business Unit Director, you will take end-to-end responsibility for:
* Operational performance
* Team leadership
* Commercial relationships
* Group-level reporting and commercial transparency
You will lead a high-volume FMCG production and packaging operation, ensuring output, quality, safety, service levels, and cost control are aligned with strategic and financial targets.
Key Accountabilities
Full Operational P&L Ownership
* Responsibility for revenue, cost base, margin, and EBITDA performance
* Labour productivity, material yield, and overhead control
* Budget setting, forecasting, and financial planning
* Driving profitability and sustainable growth
Operational Leadership
* Oversight of production, processing, and packaging operations
* Delivery of service level and quality performance targets
* Capacity planning and resource optimisation
* Reducing waste, downtime, and production losses
* Driving operational reliability and efficiency
Group Reporting & Governance
* Structured monthly reporting into group leadership
* Performance analysis across operational and financial KPIs
* Data-led decision making and performance visibility
* Contribution to strategic planning and capital investment decisions
* Ownership of key customer relationships and service delivery performance
* Partnering with commercial teams on pricing, contracts, and volume planning
* Supporting new product introduction (NPI) and customer launches
* Acting as the operational interface for major customers
* Ensuring operational capability aligns with commercial commitments
Team & Culture
* Leadership of production managers, shift leaders, engineering, and operations teams
* Building accountability and a high-performance culture
* Talent development and succession planning
* Embedding continuous improvement and lean ways of working
* Identifying margin improvement opportunities
* Driving efficiency, workflow optimisation, and waste reduction
The Brief
* Senior operational leadership experience within FMCG, food & beverage, and consumer goods.
* Demonstrable track record of operational P&L ownership
* Strong commercial acumen with the ability to interpret and act on financial data
* Experience reporting to Group or board-level stakeholders
* Proven ability to drive operational improvement and cultural accountability
* Degree qualified (Business, Engineering, Operations, or similar preferred)
Why This Role Is Different
This is not a site operations role with limited autonomy; it is a business leadership position with:
* Strategic influence
* The opportunity to shape operational direction and drive profitability
* As well as strong career growth potential
Ideal for an ambitious Commercial/Sales Director / Operations Director / General Manager stepping into full business ownership, or an established Business Unit lead seeking broader strategic exposure within a group structure.
Confidentiality & Process
This assignment is being conducted on a strictly confidential basis. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of the business, its customer relationships, and financial performance, detailed information will only be disclosed at an appropriate stage of the selection process.
All shortlisted candidates will be required to execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to receiving comprehensive information relating to the business, its operations, financials, and strategic plans.
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