About goodnus
goodnus Ltd is a leading food and beverage distribution business with our main depot in Harlow. We specialise in supplying and delivering a wide range of office refreshments, including milk, milk alternatives, fruit, snacks, tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages, and chilled drinks to some of the most iconic businesses and buildings within London.
We're a sustainably focussed company and believe that limiting the impact on the environment should be a leading consideration when making any business decision, and actively encourage our customers to adopt a similar mentality, when it comes to purchasing food and drink that's consumed within the office.
We achieve this using a variety of methods such as striving to work with local suppliers that use sustainable production and packaging processes or signing-up customers to our inventory management and replenishment service, which minimises food waste, or simply by helping our customers to consolidate their orders to reduce food mile emissions.
As a SALSA accredited business, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of food safety and operational compliance, therefore please apply if you're interested in becoming part of a team that is dedicated to delivering excellence.
The Role
This is a senior, board reporting leadership role with end-to-end responsibility for all operational activity across goodnus, with a clear pathway to progress into an Operations Director position within 18–24 months, subject to performance.
The Head of Operations will oversee warehouse operations, logistics, fleet, compliance, food safety, health & safety, and operational people management, ensuring the business operates safely, efficiently, compliantly and at scale.
You will lead and develop operational managers, embed robust processes, ensure audit-readiness at all times, and play a central role in supporting growth while protecting service quality, safety and margins.
This highly demanding role is suited to someone who has operated at a senior level within a food, FMCG or temperature-controlled logistics scale-up, and who is comfortable balancing strategic oversight with hands-on leadership.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership & Strategy
* Own and lead all operational functions across warehouses, logistics, fleet and fulfilment.
* Set operational strategy aligned to growth, capacity planning and service excellence.
* Act as the senior escalation point for operational issues, incidents or non-compliances.
* Report operational performance, risks and KPIs directly to the Board.
* Own and manage group Health & Safety and Food Safety policies.
2. Warehouse, Logistics & Fleet Oversight
* Oversee multi-site warehouse operations, including goods-in, picking, packing, stock control and dispatch.
* Ensure effective management of temperature-controlled environments
* Lead logistics and fleet operations, including overnight and out-of-hours delivery models
* Ensure fleet, drivers and vehicles remain compliant with DVSA and road safety standards
3. Food Safety, Compliance & H&S
* Hold senior responsibility for food safety, hygiene, allergens and temperature compliance
* Ensure full compliance with SALSA, HACCP, SafeContractor, H&S and statutory requirements
* Lead internal audits, corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives
* Maintain audit-ready systems, logs and documentation across all sites
* Oversee risk assessments, accident investigations and safety training
4. People Leadership & Management
* Lead, mentor and develop Warehouse Operations Managers, shift managers/controllers and team leaders.
* Set clear standards for performance, accountability and professionalism
* Support recruitment, onboarding, training and succession planning within operations
* Work closely with HR on performance management, capability issues and wellbeing
5. Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement
* Own and improve operational SOPs, workflows and controls
* Ensure effective use of WMS, IMS, fleet and compliance systems
* Drive efficiency improvements, waste reduction and error reduction
* Support scaling operations into new sites, buildings and regions
6. Cross-Functional & Commercial Support
* Work closely with the CEO, COO, CFO and commercial teams to align operations with growth plans
* Provide operational input into pricing, service design and customer onboarding
* Support ESG and sustainability initiatives through operational best practice
Experience & Requirements
* 3–5+ years' experience in a senior operational leadership role within a food, FMCG, logistics or temperature-controlled environment
* Proven experience operating within a scale-up or fast-growing business
* Strong understanding of food safety, hygiene, allergens and temperature-controlled operations
* Experience managing out-of-hours and overnight logistics operation
* Experience across multi-site warehouse operations
* Exposure to fleet management and refrigerated vehicles
* Strong systems mindset (WMS / IMS / compliance platforms)
* Demonstrable leadership of managers and operational teams
* Excellent organisational, problem-solving and decision-making skills
* Comfortable reporting to senior leadership level
* Full UK driving licence
Qualifications (Preferred)
* HACCP Level 2 (or higher)
* Food Safety Level 3
* IOSH / NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification
* SALSA, SafeContractor or similar audit experience
* Forklift licence (counterbalance) – desirable but not essential
Remuneration
* Salary - Open/negotiable subject to experience
* Bonus
* Private Medical + Life Assurance
* Pension
Why Join goodnus?
* Senior, influential role reporting directly into the Board.
* Opportunity to shape and scale operations within a high-growth business
* Sustainability-led company with strong values and purpose
* Significant investment in infrastructure, systems and people
* Real autonomy to lead, improve and make lasting impact
How to Apply
To apply for this role simply respond to this post with a short covering letter telling us a little bit about yourself, and why you think you'll make a good addition to our team.
goodnus Ltd is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.