Operations Manager (Manufacturing)

Location: Onsite at Trafford Park Factory, Manchester, United Kingdom

Company

LIPTON Teas & Infusions is a global tea business with brands including Lipton, Pukka, Tazo, T2, Lyons and PG Tips.

What you will do

• Lead Manufacturing, Warehouse and Distribution from production planning through customer dispatch.
• Set operational direction and lead three Shift Managers and the Logistics Manager.
• Own the Operations P&L and deliver plans for safety, quality, service, inventory, productivity, waste, labour and cost.
• Lead daily performance management through Tier meetings, short interval control, shift handovers and structured escalation.
• Embed Autonomous Maintenance within the Lipton Management System and drive continuous improvement, Kaizen and loss elimination.
• Represent Operations in NPD, capital, digital manufacturing and transformation projects, ensuring effective commissioning and adoption.

Requirements

• Senior operational leadership experience in FMCG, food manufacturing or another high-volume, regulated environment.
• Experience leading Manufacturing together with Warehouse and Distribution through managers and sizeable workforces.
• Strong results across safety, quality, service, cost, people, productivity and continuous improvement.
• Experience owning an operational budget, P&L or cost-improvement plan and partnering with Finance and Planning.
• Knowledge of Lean, TPM, WCM, LMS or comparable daily management systems, including Autonomous Maintenance.
• Experience leading change in a unionised environment, with a degree or equivalent experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain or a related discipline.

Nice to have

• Relevant Lean, safety, food safety or leadership qualifications.

Culture & Benefits

• High-visibility role with ownership of the full factory operations function.
• Visible leadership presence on the shop floor and opportunities to develop operational leaders and succession strength.
• Inclusive environment focused on employee voice, engagement, equity and diversity.
• Tea provided at work.

Hiring process

• The recruitment process usually includes 2–3 stages, depending on seniority.
• CVs are generally reviewed within two weeks.