Group Manufacturing Director – UK & Ireland

Company: QLM Search Ltd
Apply for the Group Manufacturing Director – UK & Ireland
Location: Leeds
Job Description:

Our client is a leading international food group operating across the Fresh and Added Value meat categories.

Operating at significant scale, the business has a portfolio of recognised brands and trusted partnerships across retail, foodservice and export markets.

With a network of modern facilities across the UK and Ireland and a workforce of several thousand colleagues, the business has built a reputation for quality, innovation and responsibility. Today, it is investing heavily in automation, digital transformation and modernisation while continuing to deliver safe, affordable, high-quality food to millions of consumers.

We are seeking an exceptional leader to join the leadership team as Group Manufacturing Director (UK & Ireland).

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead a large and diverse manufacturing footprint, aligning operations seamlessly with commercial, supply chain and innovation functions.
  • Provide the strategic influence and board-level presence required to drive change across a complex stakeholder landscape.
  • Play a key role in M&A integration, ensuring newly acquired businesses are successfully integrated, aligned and optimised within the group structure.
  • Deliver major transformation programmes, from digitalisation and automation to new ways of working, to future-proof capabilities and sharpen competitiveness.
  • Inspire senior leaders across multiple sites, embedding a high-performance culture that balances accountability with empowerment.
  • Shape and lead capital investment projects that strengthen operational resilience and unlock growth opportunities.
  • Act as a visible and trusted partner to customers, regulators and the wider market, reinforcing the organisation’s reputation as a leader in its field.

Required Background

We are looking for a proven board-level manufacturing leader who thrives in complexity.

  • Experience in integrating acquisitions, rationalising manufacturing footprints and delivering synergies.
  • Expertise in leading transformation and cultural change across large, distributed organisations.
  • Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, with the ability to translate these principles into lasting results.
  • The credibility to operate with influence at board level, balancing operational detail with strategic clarity.
  • A reputation as an effective people leader, able to inspire, stretch and develop senior teams.
  • The resilience and agility to navigate challenges while keeping the long-term vision in sight.

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Posted: November 1st, 2026