Role: Operations Director
Location: Cumbria
Salary: Circa £85,000
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Operations Director to lead and deliver the company’s operational strategy across a complex, multi-functional environment. This is a critical senior leadership role, responsible for ensuring safe, efficient and fully compliant end-to-end operations.
As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), you will play a central role in shaping business performance, driving operational excellence and supporting sustainable growth. This role will suit a commercially astute and hands-on leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and can balance strategic direction with operational execution.
You will be responsible for creating and embedding a clear operational vision, leading high-performing teams, and ensuring compliance with all relevant UK legislation, including Health & Safety and food safety standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop, implement and deliver the company’s operational strategy to drive efficiency, scalability and excellent customer service
- Take full accountability for operational performance across the site, from goods in through to dispatch and logistics
- Own and manage the operational budget, ensuring strong cost control, productivity and alignment with wider business objectives
- Lead, coach and develop operational leadership teams, building capability and driving performance
- Embed a high-performance culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence
- Establish and maintain robust operational processes, standards and KPIs across all functions
- Ensure full compliance with UK legislation, including Health & Safety, food safety, employment law and transport regulations
- Act as the senior lead for Health & Safety, Quality Assurance and compliance, promoting a proactive safety-first culture
- Monitor and improve operational performance through data analysis, reporting and continuous improvement initiatives
- Work collaboratively with SLT colleagues to align operational delivery with overall business strategy
- Manage operational risk, including contingency planning and incident response
- Drive engagement and communication across teams, ensuring alignment with business goals
- Contribute actively at SLT level to strategic decision-making and overall business direction
About You
- Proven experience in a senior operations leadership role within a complex, multi-functional environment
- Strong commercial awareness with experience managing budgets, driving efficiencies and improving performance
- In-depth understanding of supply chain, logistics and distribution operations
- Strong knowledge of UK regulatory frameworks, including Health & Safety and food safety standards (e.g. HACCP)
- Data-driven mindset with the ability to interpret KPIs and translate insights into action
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels
- A visible and credible leader who leads by example and builds trust across teams
- Strong coaching mindset with a passion for developing people and building capability
- Resilient, decisive and able to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Pragmatic, solutions-focused and committed to continuous improvement
- Passionate about fostering an inclusive, respectful and high-performing workplace culture
- Customer-focused with a strong service mindset
Experience
- Demonstrable experience in a senior operations leadership role (e.g. Operations Director or Head of Operations)
- Experience within FMCG, logistics or a closely related sector is highly desirable
- Proven track record of delivering operational strategy and driving performance improvement
- Experience leading large, multi-functional teams across complex operations
- Strong experience in compliance, Health & Safety and quality standards
- Previous experience operating at Senior Leadership Team level and contributing to business-wide strategy
Don't meet every single requirement? At Realise, we are dedicated to helping our clients build diverse, inclusive and authentic workplaces, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we would encourage you to apply anyway! You might be just the candidate we're looking for!
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