My job Location: Andover Business: Pilgrims Europe
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- Lamb Division Reporting to: Division Lead
- Lamb Direct Reports: 6 managers and wider operational teams The Opportunity Pilgrims Europe is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead our Andover Lamb site, driving performance across production, engineering and despatch while embedding a culture of safety, quality and continuous improvement.
This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for operational delivery, people leadership and site financial performance.
Youll work closely with cross-functional teams across the Pilgrims Group to ensure alignment with wider business, category and group strategies.
Key Responsibilities Lead all site operations to deliver productivity, efficiency, quality and financial targets Act as a core member of the Site Senior Leadership Team, delivering KPIs hourly, daily and weekly Drive a strong Health & Safety culture, ensuring "Safety is a Condition" Champion Quality and Food Safety, ensuring the site is always audit-ready Own site P&L, budgets, labour planning, yield performance and cost control Strategically plan resources and capacity to maximise output and efficiency Coach, mentor and develop managers and teams to build capability and engagement Lead continuous improvement initiatives including 5S and Operational Excellence Manage customer relationships, site visits and external audits (BRC, SMETA, customer audits) Ensure full compliance with legal, ethical, environmental and food safety standards Work collaboratively with HR, Finance, Engineering, Technical, Sales and Supply Chain teams About You Youll be a confident, visible leader who takes ownership, leads by example and thrives in a fast-paced FMCG environment.
Proven experience in FMCG manufacturing operations (meat industry experience advantageous) Strong track record of delivering KPIs, margins and continuous improvement Solid understanding of manufacturing efficiency, labour modelling and cost control Experience leading large, multi-layered operational teams Ability to operate effectively under pressure in a changing environment Strong coaching and people development capability Experience with CI tools such as 5S and change management programmes Qualifications (or equivalent experience): Food Safety IOSH Managing Safely HACCP / TACCP Why Work at Pilgrims Europe? A senior leadership role with real autonomy and influence Opportunity to shape performance and culture at a key operational site Part of a growing, values-led international food business Strong focus on career development and internal progression Competitive salary Benefits package including: Pension scheme Life assurance Employee assistance programme Discount and wellbeing schemes Ongoing training and leadership development Ready to make an impact? If youre a driven operations leader who thrives on accountability, values high standards and wants the opportunity to shape performance at site level, wed love to hear from you.
Join Pilgrims Europe and play a key role in delivering safe, high-quality food while developing high-performing teams in a business where ownership, improvement and leadership truly matter.
Apply now and take the next step in your leadership career with Pilgrims Europe! The company Pilgrims Europe produces some of the best-known and most iconic brands in the UK and Ireland, including Fridge Raiders, Rollover, Denny, Richmond, Oakhouse and Moy Park, alongside a diverse range of industry leading own-label products in categories including fresh pork, lamb and chicken, working with all the major retailers and food service outlets.
Our portfolio extends to authentic chilled and frozen ready meals, snacking ranges, added value and food service products. xjlbheb
Across Pilgrims Europe we combine 20,000 of the best people in the industry, united by a shared set of core values and a passion for producing the highest quality, most delicious and innovative food, which is enjoyed by millions of people in the UK, Ireland and Europe every day.
Our Pilgrims Europe team are based in our Pilgrims UK, Moy Park, Pilgrims Food Masters and Pilgrims Shared Services businesses.
What well bring to the table Competitive Salary Competitive Holiday Entitlement Pension Contribution Family Friendly Policies Learning and Development Opportunities Life Assurance People matter Previous Next Our values Determination Simplicity Availability Humility Discipline Sincerity Ownership