Job Description
Central Kitchen Operations Manager
Site-based – Central Kitchen, North Acton, London
Salary: £60,000 per annum
Reports to: Operations Director
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced leader from a large-scale production kitchen, CPU, or high-volume food assembly environment. This role is ideal for someone who has managed a busy production team, overseen batch-based workflows, and understands how to deliver consistent quality at speed.
You do not need to already be an Operations Manager — experienced Kitchen Managers, Production Leads, or Assembly Managers from high-volume food operations are strongly encouraged to apply.
If you’ve run a large kitchen producing food for multiple sites and understand structured processes, traceability, and daily operational control, you will excel in this role.
You will oversee the full Central Kitchen operation end-to-end, ensuring accuracy, food safety, team development, workflow efficiency, and consistent high-quality output as Pure continues to grow.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Development
•\tLead, coach, and develop a full Central Kitchen team across multiple shifts.
•\tRecruit, onboard, and train team members for consistent production output.
•\tBuild strong succession plans and maintain a clear team structure.
•\tRun daily briefs, handovers, and communication routines.
•\tFoster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and wellbeing.
Operational Leadership
•\tOversee all daily production in a high-volume environment.
•\tEnsure every product meets specification: weights, portioning, coding, and presentation.
•\tMaintain full compliance with food safety standards, HACCP controls, and traceability.
•\tStrengthen batch coding, labelling, documentation, and record-keeping.
•\tDevelop and refine SOPs to improve accuracy, reduce waste, and streamline workflows.
•\tManage production planning, run sheets, shift routines, and cleaning standards.
•\tEnsure equipment is maintained and operational at all times.
Continuous Improvement & Projects
•\tLead workflow improvements, digitalisation projects, and new equipment implementation.
•\tSupport long-term Central Kitchen development, including capacity expansion or infrastructure upgrades.
•\tWork cross-functionally with Retail, Supply Chain, Menu Development, Finance, and Operations.
•\tAnalyse data to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and enhance throughput.
Financial & Resource Accountability
•\tManage the Central Kitchen P&L including labour, waste, purchasing, and overheads.
•\tProduce weekly financial updates, forecasts, and accurate reporting.
•\tIdentify cost efficiencies without compromising quality or consistency.
•\tOversee stock control, ordering, and supplier performance.
Quality, Food Safety & Compliance
•\tEnsure products consistently meet Pure’s highest quality standards.
•\tLead temperature checks, weight verification, traceability audits, and coding accuracy.
•\tMaintain readiness for all external inspections and internal audits.
•\tPromote a culture where food safety is prioritised at every step.
You Will Be Successful in This Role If You Have:
•\tExperience as a Kitchen Manager or Production Manager in a high-volume food assembly or CPU environment.
•\tStrong understanding of HACCP, traceability, food safety controls, and compliance processes.
•\tProven ability to lead and develop teams across different shifts.
•\tExperience standardising workflows, implementing SOPs, and running structured operations.
•\tFinancial understanding of labour control, waste reduction, and operational KPIs.
•\tExcellent organisational skills, calm under pressure, and solutions-focused.
•\tA passion for delivering consistent quality at scale.
What Your First 6 Months May Look Like
You will have:
•\tStrengthened leadership and team structure across shifts.
•\tImproved traceability, workflow accuracy, and communication routines.
•\tReduced waste and optimised batch production processes.
•\tBuilt strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
•\tDeveloped a long-term operational improvement plan for the Central Kitchen.
Our Values at Pure
THOUGHTFUL – Clear communication and respect.
PASSIONATE – Pride, energy, and commitment to excellence.
INVENTIVE – Fast, agile, accountable problem-solving.
GENEROUS – Supportive, kind, and team-focused.
Ready for Your Next Step?
Whether you’re a strong Kitchen Manager from a busy food assembly environment or already leading large production teams — we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now and help shape the future of Pure’s Central Kitchen.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Work Location: In person, North Acton