Chief Operating Officer: Production

• FMCG Manufacturing | Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Dairy, Soap & Bakery | Multi-Factory Operations
• Location: Klapmuts/Franschhoek area.
• Salary offered: Market related and dependent on experience.
• Position type: Full time, permanent position.

Our client is seeking an experienced and strategically minded Head of Operations: Production to lead and oversee a diverse group of manufacturing operations spanning non-alcoholic beverages, dairy, soap production, and bakery manufacturing.

This is a senior executive leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, financial performance, and long-term strategic growth across multiple production sites. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping and executing the overall manufacturing strategy while ensuring efficiency, quality, and scalability across all business units.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement an integrated operational strategy across all manufacturing facilities, focused on sustainable growth, profitability, and operational excellence
• Oversee end-to-end performance of all production units against budgets, revenue targets, and profitability goals
• Analyse financial and operational performance, identify trends, and provide actionable insights and recommendations to executive leadership
• Lead the annual business planning and budgeting process and ensure disciplined execution throughout the financial year
• Optimise production processes, capacity utilisation, and cost efficiency across all sites
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, innovation, and product development across manufacturing divisions
• Build, lead, and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, performance, and operational discipline
• Collaborate closely with technical, logistics, and commercial teams to ensure integrated and efficient operations
• Ensure strict compliance with quality assurance and food safety standards across all facilities

Requirements

Requirements

• 5–8+ years’ experience in food manufacturing, FMCG, or production management, with at least part of this at senior management level
• Tertiary qualification in Food Science, Engineering, Production Management, or a related field
• Strong technical understanding of manufacturing processes and production environments
• Proven track record in strategic planning and execution within complex operational settings
• Strong financial acumen, including the ability to interpret financial statements and drive data-led business decisions
• Experience managing multi-site or multi-departmental operations will be highly advantageous
• Strong leadership capability with experience managing large teams
• Excellent problem-solving ability with strong attention to detail
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial awareness
• Results-driven, decisive, and execution-focused
• Analytical and structured in approach
• Innovative with a continuous improvement mindset
• High sense of ownership, accountability, and integrity
• Strong communicator in both Afrikaans and English