Head of Central Processing

Responsibilities: Leadership & People Management Lead and manage the heads of all Central Processing functions, including the packing house, central and hub kitchens, QA/QC, and related operational units. Build and mentor high-performing teams across functions, fostering a culture of accountability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. Set clear performance expectations, provide regular coaching and feedback, and develop succession pipelines for critical roles.

Operations Management Oversee smooth and efficient day-to-day operations across all processing units, ensuring adherence to production schedules, quality standards, and customer expectations. Monitor and improve operational KPIs including throughput, yield, waste reduction, downtime, and labor productivity. Champion continuous improvement across all units, promoting lean methodologies and structured problem-solving.

Quality Assurance, Quality Control & Technical Audit Oversee the development and enforcement of QA/QC systems, ensuring compliance with food safety standards Lead the implementation of rigorous quality control protocols throughout the production lifecycle—from raw material intake to final product dispatch. Manage and coordinate internal and external technical audits, including regulatory, customer, and third-party certifications. Identify and address root causes of quality deviations or non-conformances, and ensure corrective and preventive actions are executed effectively. Collaborate closely with R&D and Product Development to validate and scale up new formulations or processes while ensuring quality consistency. Establish and maintain a robust documentation and traceability system for all QA/QC and audit-related processes.

Strategic Alignment & Stakeholder Collaboration Partner with Commercial, Business & Category Development (BCD), and Supply Chain teams to align production capabilities with commercial strategies and volume forecasts. Translate category and product innovations into actionable processing and resource requirements. Serve as the central liaison between processing units and other business functions to ensure cohesive operational planning and execution.

Cost Optimization & Process Excellence Drive initiatives to improve cost efficiency through automation, technology integration, and optimized resource planning. Lead benchmarking and implementation of best practices in production, packaging, labor utilization, and workflow design. Monitor cost drivers and initiate continuous improvement programs to enhance unit economics without compromising quality or compliance.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement Explore and adopt advanced processing technologies and automation to increase speed, flexibility, and quality of output. Promote a culture of innovation and knowledge sharing, encouraging teams to identify new opportunities for efficiency and quality improvement. Pilot new processing or packaging methods that can enhance product value, shelf life, or customer experience.

Requirements: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field; MBA is a plus. Minimum 10 years of experience in manufacturing, food processing, or supply chain, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role. Proven track record in leading multi-functional teams and delivering operational efficiency at scale. Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and align cross-functional partners. Experience in F&B, manufacturing or private label production is highly preferred. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.