Head of Food Production & Operations

Job Overview

A fast-growing Nigerian consumer goods company is recruiting an experienced Head of Food Production & Operations to provide strategic and operational leadership across its manufacturing activities.

The successful candidate will develop and execute the company’s manufacturing strategy, strengthen production performance and ensure that products are delivered on time, in full and according to specification. The position also covers food safety, quality assurance, operational risk, supply-chain integration, manufacturing costs and the development of production teams.

This senior leadership position is suited to an experienced food-manufacturing professional who has managed multiple production lines or manufacturing sites within a high-volume food or FMCG environment.

Job Details

• Employer: Confidential Employer
• Recruiter: Deloitte Human Capital West Africa
• Job Title: Head of Food Production & Operations
• Employment Type:Full Time
• Location:Lagos,Nigeria
• Job Field: Food Manufacturing and Operations
• Minimum Experience: 12–15 years
• Leadership Experience: At least seven years in a senior manufacturing leadership role
• Minimum Qualification: Bachelor’s degree
• Application Deadline: Not specified
• Salary: Not specified

About the Hiring Organization

The employer is a diversified Nigerian consumer goods company with business interests in modern retail, quick-service restaurants, entertainment and manufacturing.

Established in Ibadan in 1982, the organization has expanded from a single neighbourhood store into a nationally recognized supermarket chain with an expanding retail network.

Deloitte Human Capital West Africa is managing the recruitment process on behalf of the employer. The employer’s name was not disclosed in the source vacancy.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Strategy and Operational Excellence

The Head of Food Production & Operations will:

• Develop and implement a manufacturing strategy aligned with the company’s growth objectives.
• Lead production planning and execution to ensure that products are delivered on time, in full and according to specification.
• Introduce and strengthen Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and continuous-improvement practices across production facilities.
• Improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness, manufacturing throughput, labour productivity and production efficiency.
• Optimize manufacturing capacity to support increased demand, new stores and future expansion.
• Establish standardized operating procedures and manufacturing best practices.
• Develop production dashboards for monitoring operational performance and supporting data-based decisions.

Operational Risk and Business Continuity

The role will also involve:

• Identifying and mitigating operational, quality and supply-chain risks.
• Developing and maintaining business-continuity plans for production operations.
• Improving energy efficiency, utility management and environmental sustainability.
• Preparing production operations for equipment failures, supply disruptions and emergencies.
• Promoting workplace safety and compliance with occupational health and safety standards.
• Leading incident investigations and implementing preventive measures against recurrence.

Team Leadership and Capability Development

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Build and lead high-performing teams across the company’s manufacturing units.
• Develop succession plans for critical manufacturing positions.
• Coach Production Managers and Supervisors to improve their leadership effectiveness.
• Promote the company’s values and a performance-driven culture within manufacturing operations.
• Strengthen employee engagement, professional capability and accountability.
• Encourage continuous learning, innovation, teamwork and operational discipline.

Product Innovation and Manufacturing Capability

Responsibilities in this area include:

• Working with Research and Development and Commercial teams to commercialize new products.
• Ensuring that manufacturing operations are ready for new product introductions.
• Improving the time required to bring new products to market.
• Evaluating emerging manufacturing technologies and production methods.
• Leading capital-investment planning for production expansion and modernization.
• Building the manufacturing capacity needed to support the company’s long-term growth.

Supply-Chain Integration and Product Availability

The Head of Food Production & Operations will:

• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics and Retail Operations teams.
• Improve production forecasting and scheduling accuracy.
• Ensure the availability of raw materials required for uninterrupted production.
• Reduce production-related stock-outs and emergency production runs.
• Support Sales and Commercial teams during periods of high demand and new product launches.
• Drive cross-functional Sales and Operations Planning processes.

Productivity and Cost Management

The role requires the successful candidate to:

• Deliver year-on-year improvements in productivity and operational efficiency.
• Optimize material utilization, production yield and labour deployment.
• Reduce waste, rework and conversion costs without compromising product quality.
• Lead annual manufacturing cost-improvement initiatives.
• Monitor manufacturing budgets, operational expenditure and cost variances.
• Identify suitable automation and technology opportunities.

Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory Compliance

The position is responsible for:

• Promoting a strong food-safety culture across manufacturing operations.
• Ensuring compliance with NAFDAC, SON, HACCP, GMP, applicable ISO standards and other relevant requirements.
• Leading Quality Assurance and Quality Control systems.
• Improving product quality, first-pass yield and customer satisfaction.
• Conducting root-cause analysis and implementing corrective measures following quality or food-safety incidents.
• Maintaining product traceability, integrity and recall readiness.

Qualifications and Experience

Applicants must have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Production Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline.
• Between 12 and 15 years of progressive experience in food manufacturing or FMCG operations.
• At least seven years’ experience in a senior manufacturing leadership position.
• Experience managing multiple production lines or manufacturing sites.
• Demonstrated success in operational excellence, productivity improvement, quality management and cost optimization.
• Experience working in a high-volume food-manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience delivering significant manufacturing-improvement or transformation initiatives.

An MBA or master’s degree in Operations Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Business Administration or a related field is an advantage.

Professional certifications in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, HACCP, ISO 22000, GMP or related disciplines are highly desirable.

Who May Be Well Suited to This Position?

This opportunity may suit a senior food-manufacturing leader who has experience overseeing complex production operations and improving performance across multiple lines or facilities.

A strong candidate should be able to provide verifiable examples of:

• Improving manufacturing productivity or equipment effectiveness.
• Reducing production costs, waste or rework.
• Managing food-safety and quality-management systems.
• Leading multidisciplinary production teams.
• Expanding manufacturing capacity.
• Implementing Lean Manufacturing or continuous-improvement programmes.
• Managing production budgets and capital investments.
• Supporting the commercialization of new food products.

What to Highlight in Your Application

Candidates should make the following information easy to identify in their CV:

• The food or FMCG manufacturing organizations where they have worked.
• The production lines, facilities or manufacturing sites they managed.
• The number and type of employees or teams they supervised.
• Measurable improvements in productivity, quality, yield, cost or equipment effectiveness.
• Experience with NAFDAC, SON, HACCP, GMP or ISO requirements.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or food-safety certifications.
• Experience managing operational budgets or manufacturing investments.
• Examples of major production-improvement initiatives they delivered.

Only include achievements and figures that can be explained and supported during the recruitment process.

Vacancy Verification

AfriJobSpace reviewed this vacancy using the recruitment information published by Deloitte Human Capital West Africa.

The hiring company was not named in the source vacancy. Applicants should therefore understand that Deloitte is acting as the recruiter and is not the direct employer.

Candidates should confirm that the vacancy remains open on the official recruitment platform before submitting an application.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should use the Apply for Job button on this page to access the official application platform provided by Deloitte Human Capital West Africa.

No application deadline was included in the supplied vacancy. Applicants are advised to confirm availability and apply promptly.

Do not pay any individual or third party to submit, process or guarantee your application.