Operational Readiness Lead (IWS)

Operational Readiness Lead (known internally as Start Up Lead)
Billingham (Home of McCoys, POM-BEAR, Wheat Crunchies, and more…)
On-site | Monday - Friday

Join our snack-loving team
We’re looking for an Operational Readiness Lead to join us at KP Snacks. If you’re ready to bring your ideas to the table, grow your skills and be part of a team that values what makes you, you – this could be your next big move.

Who are we?
We’re KP Snacks, part of the Intersnack family. Across more than 30 countries, over 15,000 of us work together to make the snacks people love – from Hula Hoops to McCoy’s. In the UK, we’re a team of around 2,400 colleagues, based across seven sites and our Slough HQ. We’re proud of our close-knit culture, where we speak up, celebrate differences and push boundaries together.

About the role

Are you passionate about building high-performing manufacturing organisations from the ground up?

We are seeking an experienced Operational Readiness Lead to establish and deploy our Integrated Work System (IWS) during a major manufacturing start-up. This role is accountable for ensuring the site is operationally ready for launch by building the management systems, standards, processes and team capability required to deliver sustainable performance from Day 1.

Working closely with Site Leadership, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality and Engineering teams, you will lead the development of the operating system that underpins safety, quality, service, cost and people performance. Success in this role will be measured not by project delivery, but by the creation of a capable organisation, effective management systems and a culture of continuous improvement that can sustain world-class results.

What’s in it for you?
We believe in rewarding our colleagues and helping them thrive. Here’s a flavour of what we offer:

• Competitive annual salary, annual salary review and annual bonus opportunity (target 7.5%), plus a £6,000 car allowance.

• KP Pension Plan with up to 7% matched contributions

• 25 days holiday, with the option to buy up to five additional days, plus additional holiday after five years’ service

• Comprehensive healthcare including Single Cover Private Healthcare, Health Cash Plan, Digital GP and Employee Assistance Programme

• Electric Vehicle Car Scheme, supporting more sustainable and cost-effective travel

• KP4ME benefits platform with discounts, cashback and wellbeing support

• Enhanced family-friendly policies to support colleagues at every stage of life

What will you be doing?

• Leading the start-up of a new manufacturing line by managing commissioning, qualification and verification activities, ensuring a safe and successful transition into full production

• Driving project delivery and stakeholder engagement through clear communication of progress, milestones, risks and outcomes across Operations, Engineering and external partners

• Managing risk and operational readiness by coordinating site-level mitigation plans, resolving issues proactively and ensuring all launch activities remain on track

• Embedding Continuous Improvement principles by ensuring all activities align with Intersnack Work Systems (IWS) and supporting the development of sustainable ways of working from day one

We’d love to hear from you if you can bring:

• Experience leading operations within a manufacturing environment.

• Experience implementing IWS, TPM, Lean, WCM or equivalent manufacturing operating systems.

• Experience developing frontline leadership capability and management routines.

• Experience creating standard work, governance systems and performance management processes.

• Experience supporting operational readiness, manufacturing start-ups or major operational transformations.

• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive organisational change.

• Candidates are likely to have experience in roles such as Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Manufacturing Excellence Manager, IWS Lead, TPM Leader, Operational Excellence Manager or Continuous Improvement Leader

Our purpose
At KP Snacks, we're passionate about creating happy snacking moments through our great tasting snacks and iconic brands. Every day, millions of people enjoy our products, including Hula Hoops, McCoy's, KP Nuts, Tyrrells, Skips, POM-BEAR and Butterkist, making us one of the UK's leading snack manufacturers.

For decades, we've been delighting consumers by combining well-loved favourites with exciting innovations that reflect changing tastes and expectations. We're equally passionate about our people and committed to creating a workplace where everyone can grow, develop and make a real impact.

As part of the Intersnack Group, one of the world's leading snack manufacturers, we combine global expertise with a shared commitment to creating happy snacking moments every day.

We’re committed to inclusion
We’re building a workplace where everyone belongs. If you don’t tick every box, we’d still love to hear from you – your unique perspective could be just what we need. And if there’s anything we can do to make the process easier for you, just let us know.

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