General manager - FMCG

General Manager / Site Director – FMCG

Nelson | Full‑Time 
Excellent Package

We’re looking for an experienced General Manager / Site Director / Senior Operations Leader to take full ownership of a high‑volume drinks manufacturing site in Nelson. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who can combine strong operational control with exceptional people leadership.

You’ll be accountable for driving site performance across safety, quality, service, cost, efficiency and people, while building a capable, empowered management team. This role goes far beyond day‑to‑day production management — we need someone who can lead, improve and elevate the entire site, setting clear standards, driving accountability and delivering sustained operational improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver and exceed site budgets, KPIs and performance targets.
• Maximise people and plant performance across all manufacturing operations.
• Provide strong, visible leadership and develop an accountable management team.
• Establish clear performance management and departmental accountability.
• Take full responsibility for Health, Safety and Welfare on site.
• Maintain an uncompromising focus on food safety, legality and product quality.
• Improve productivity, cost, efficiency and overall manufacturing performance.
• Ensure projects and improvement initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.
• Build capability through recruitment, training, coaching and development.
• Embed structured CI methodologies and data‑led problem solving.
• commercial activity.tal compliance, HACCP/GMP standards and CI disciplines such as Six Sigma.

Candidate Profile – Essential

• Senior leadership experience within food, beverage or FMCG manufacturing.
• Previous responsibility for a manufacturing site or major production operation.
• Proven delivery of measurable improvements in output, labour efficiency, waste, downtime/OEE, cost and quality.
• Strong leadership of operational and management teams.
• Experience managing departmental heads, not just production staff.
• Solid understanding of food safety, HACCP, GMP and factory compliance.
• Strong Health & Safety leadership.
• Budgetary control and operational planning experience.

Highly Desirable Experience

• Aseptic/UHT beverage manufacturing.
• Bottling or carton filling operations.
• High‑speed automated manufacturing and packaging lines.
• BRCGS or similar accredited environments.
• OEE and manufacturing performance systems.
• Lean, Six Sigma or CI methodologies.
• Engineering reliability and capital projects.
• Factory turnaround or major improvement programmes.
• Understanding of commercial pressures.

Leadership Style

We’re looking for someone who is calm, firm and highly organised — a leader who is visible on the factory floor, data‑driven, structured and relentless in driving improvement.

Start People is the agency assigned to this positon