General Manager - Operations | Ballarat, Victoria
The Why Behind This Role
* Autonomy & Ownership: You will report directly to the National Operations Director, taking full, autonomous responsibility for the site's performance, culture, and operational strategy.
* High-Impact Role: Lead a critical 24/7 facility where your decisions directly influence efficiency, quality, and cost control across the entire production chain.
* Strong Culture: Step into a supportive, inclusive culture that values its people and is grounded in four strong organisational values: Passion, Honesty, Accountability, and Boldness.
* Exceptional Compensation: This level of responsibility is rewarded with a highly competitive package: $160,000 – $200,000 Base Salary + 12% Superannuation + Annual Discretionary Bonus.
* Career Growth: Join a well-regarded and growing Australian manufacturer, offering stability and future development opportunities.
What You'll Bring
To be considered for this role, you must have a proven demonstrated success as a Senior Operations Manager overseeing an entire food manufacturing site or large‑scale food production environment.
* Strong background across operations, maintenance, and/or safety.
* Proven success managing teams and fostering positive team culture.
* Experience managing capital projects and improvement initiatives.
* Solid knowledge of manufacturing systems, ERP platforms, and lean tools.
* Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships internally and externally.
What You'll Be Responsible For
Operational & Production Leadership
* Oversee all operational activity across a 24/7, multi‑shift plant.
* Lead production planning, factory flow, scheduling, and daily output targets.
* Ensure smooth operation across processing, packing, logistics, quality, and maintenance.
People Leadership
* Lead and develop a workforce of around 50 employees, including nine direct reports such as the Milling Manager, Quality Manager, and Maintenance Manager.
* Build a high‑performance culture grounded in communication, accountability, and teamwork.
Quality, Compliance & Food Safety
* Maintain and elevate quality systems and food safety programs including SQF, HACCP, NASAA Organic, HALAL, Kosher, and GACC.
* Ensure all DAFF regulatory obligations and insurance requirements are achieved.
Efficiency, CI & Cost Control
* Drive continuous improvement to reduce downtime, waste, and labour‑related costs.
* Champion lean methodologies and process optimisation throughout the plant.
Maintenance & Capital Projects
* Oversee site‑wide preventative maintenance routines.
* Lead capital upgrades, engineering improvements, and equipment investments.
Safety & Environmental Stewardship
* Strengthen HSE practices through clear leadership, engagement, and structured training.
* Ensure all safety, environmental, and regulatory standards are met or exceeded.
If you are a hands‑on, solutions‑focused leader ready to take complete ownership of a dynamic food manufacturing site, we'd love to hear from you.
Join us and contact or call Megan Planteras directly on for a confidential discussion.
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