Competitive Remuneration / Work Close to Home
Fresh & Short Shelf-Life Food Production
Work Close to Home
Financial Support Provided for Relocation in line with Company Policy
At Real Pet Food Company (RPF), we are dedicated to feeding pets the real food they deserve — food made with real, recognisable ingredients, produced ethically and responsibly, and designed to help pets live healthier, happier lives.
We believe in keeping it real. Doing the right thing by our pets, our people, our partners and our planet. That belief shows up in how we source ingredients, how we manufacture, and how we lead.
We're a fast‐growing, values‐led FMCG manufacturer with over 30 years of experience behind some of Australia's most loved pet food brands — Ivory Coat, Farmers Market, Nature's Gift, Trilogy and Fussy Cat — and we're now looking for an exceptional Site Operations Manager to lead our largest wet food manufacturing site in Yatala.
Opportunity
This is a high‐impact, high‐accountability leadership roleat the heart of our business. As Site Operations Manager you will take full ownership of the day‐to‐day performance and future capability of our Yatala site — a complex, fast‐paced, short shelf‐life operation producing fresh, raw‐ingredient pet food. This is not an easy site — and that's exactly why it matters.
Responsibilities
Leading the Site
* Full accountability for safety, quality, production, cost, service and people outcomes.
* Lead a multi‐shift wet manufacturing environment including raw meat processing.
* Set a safety‐first culture with visible leadership across all shifts.
* Ensure operational stability while continuously improving performance.
* Lead by example and hold others to account in a fast‐paced environment.
Operations, Engineering & Reliability
* Oversee all daily site operations: manufacturing, maintenance, reliability, planning, warehousing and logistics.
* Drive asset performance through effective maintenance, reliability engineering and OEE improvement.
* Collaborate with SMEs to identify and implement opportunities to reduce waste, improve labour efficiency and manage overtime responsibly.
* Ensure systems, standards and processes support food safety, compliance and consistency.
* Champion a continuous‐improvement mindset grounded in data, root‐cause analysis and structured problem‐solving.
* Implement improvements that balance pace with sustainability.
* Stay current with best‐practice manufacturing and production management approaches.
People & Culture
* Lead, coach and develop a strong site leadership team.
* Empower teams to grow, building clear development and career pathways.
* Create a culture of accountability, respect and care.
* Work closely with ANZ Operations and central support teams (Quality, R&D, Supply Chain, Corporate) to ensure alignment and shared success.
About You
* Credible, commercially astute and grounded manufacturing leader who leads from the floor as comfortably as in the leadership room.
* Senior leadership experience within FMCG, fresh food, meat processing or short shelf‐life manufacturing.
* Proven experience leading multi‐shift, high‐throughput operations.
* Deep capability across safety, quality, production, reliability and people leadership.
* A calm, measured leadership style that builds trust quickly.
* Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to navigate complexity.
* Proactive, problem‐solving mindset. Willing to challenge the status‐quo when it's in service of better outcomes.
Technical & Professional Background
* Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
* Experience with retorting, pouch technology, drying or wet processing highly regarded.
* Experience implementing new systems, process changes and training programs.
* Proven ability to manage and execute strategies related to budgeting, planning, workforce management and operational metrics.
* Lean Six Sigma capability or certification highly regarded.
What Matters Most Here
* Leads with integrity, care and courage.
* Takes ownership and follows through.
* Believes safety and quality are never negotiable.
* Invests in people and holds them to high standards.
* Wants to be part of something bigger than themselves.
* The work isn't always easy, but it is meaningful, respected and valued.
What's On Offer
* A rare opportunity to lead RPF's largest and most critical manufacturing site.
* A values‐led organisation where your leadership genuinely matters.
* Strong support from ANZ Operations and functional experts.
* Competitive senior leadership package including base salary, superannuation and performance incentives.
* The chance to leave a legacy for your team, the business and the pets who rely on us.
Important
Important: This is a wet manufacturing site that processes raw meat. You must be comfortable working in this type of environment.
Next Steps
* 2-3 face‐to‐face interviews including a site visit.
* Pre‐employment medical (including drug and alcohol testing).
* Relevant background checks including 2 work‐related references and psychometric assessment.
We welcome applications from people with disability. We will provide reasonable adjustments through the recruitment and selection process to ensure equal participation for people with disability.
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