Operations Manager

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our collaborative and flexible working environment. Our organizational ambition centers around creating workplaces that foster equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging across all aspects of our business. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

JOB PURPOSE

Find your purpose at Unilever. You will lead innovations, big and small, that will make our business win and grow. You will learn from brilliant business leaders and colleagues in a truly global and diverse culture to ultimately become a better you. If you are passionate about driving continuous improvement in Safety, Quality, Output and Costs through Unilever Manufacturing system standards then this role is just for you.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

Reporting to the Factory leader, you will lead a motivated team of Manufacturing & Utilities. You will be responsible for all key business metrics for the site in the absence of the Associate Factory Director, managing a mostly 24/5 unionized manufacturing operation to ensure compliance with Safety, Health, Environment and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) requirements.

You’re a born leader: Operations Manager is the critical role for the site, and the incumbent must be prepared to lead members of the site community to success.

You’re a strategy guru: As Strategic planning is key to ensuring transition periods in and out of peak season is executed seamlessly.

You’re a teacher and a student: Work with Foods network to share/gain best practice for implementation within site.

You’re a dot connector: Liaison with all key stakeholders (departments) to ensure full alignment with production schedule and key production milestones including Research & Development, Planning, Logistics and Brand.

You love to win, and have fun doing it: This role is critical to ensuring engagement between departments, with an emphasis on Safety/Quality collaboration. Develop and invest in human capital, specifically Purpose Driven Communities.

You’re a changemaker: Success is dependent on change, and the Operations Manager role is the Change Maker for the site – driving change to improve on all business metrics.

Accountability & Responsibility: Taking responsibility for building your team’s performance and sharing your best interventions to help support other lines’ improvements.

Additional Duties and Expectations of Role:

1. Actively participate in the implementation of all site-specific safety and environmental programs, with the ability to lead and progress current safety culture to world class. Active member of the Central Safety Health Environmental Committee (CSHEC), specific ownership of several site safety programs.
2. Achieve desired production costs, including fixed and variable labor costs, Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), waste, attainment and business waste and take ownership of savings initiatives for the site.
3. Drive Perfect Quality throughout all Make and Pack Processes.
4. Build and develop AGILE work systems that engage, empower, and motivate over 100 full time union employees towards a highly autonomous work culture.
5. Manage a complex product portfolio for optimal run strategy and influence future fit portfolio transformation.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

1. Must have a bachelor’s degree. Technical field is preferred.
2. Minimum 5 years manufacturing experience preferably CPG.
3. Fully understand and enforce Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), preferably in a food plant.
4. Must have experience of working within a unionized site.
5. Familiar with HACCP principles, implementation and facilitation.
6. Must be able to effectively manage conflict while creating an inclusive work environment.
7. Full understanding of the OHSA and pertinent safety regulations.
8. Able to visualize clearly what the ideal production system is.
9. Able to clearly understand operating principles and establish correct operating standards.
10. Experience with manufacturing equipment, concepts and regulations would be an asset.
11. Leadership experience in continuous improvement (WCM, TPM, Lean Manufacturing) is preferred.
12. Champion for Change Management.

Skills

1. Employee Relations, Leadership, Workplace Safety, Risk Management, Manufacturing, Performance Management, Supply Chain Management, Lean Manufacturing, FMEA, Conflict Management, Team Building, Quality Management, HACCP, Logistics Management, Production Planning, Process Management.

Leadership

1. You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team delivers with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.
2. You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenge with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.

Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors

1. PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.
2. PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
3. TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best.
4. PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.
5. CONSUMER LOVE: Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.
6. BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.

What We Can Offer You

Unilever at a Glance | Working at Unilever | Powering our Purpose | Planet & Society | Unilever’s Brands | Unilever on LinkedIn | Strategy | Unilever | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Careers at Unilever | Benefits, Learning, & Wellbeing | Latest News About Unilever