Employer: Sentinel Staffing Services Operations Manager – Food Manufacturing (Plant-Based, Hands-On Role)Location: Gauteng - ALbertonIndustry: Food Manufacturing & Packaging About the RoleThis is not a coordination role. This is not a reporting role.We are looking for an Operations Manager who has run a plant, fixed real problems, and delivered measurable improvements.You will be responsible for plant performance, cost, and output — through a Production Manager and Production Assistant. You are not here to replace them, you are here to build a system that consistently delivers results.If your experience is mostly meetings, dashboards, and theory, this role will not suit you. What You Will Be Accountable For Plant Performance - Deliver production targets without daily firefighting - Improve overall equipment effectiveness, reduce downtime, and stabilise output - Build processes that make performance predictable Food Safety & Quality - Ensure full compliance with FSSC 22000 and HACCP - Maintain audit readiness as a standard, not an event - Own product quality and customer complaints Commercial & Cost Ownership - Understand cost per ton, margin, and cost drivers - Actively reduce waste, inefficiencies, and unnecessary cost - Translate operational decisions into financial outcomes Strategic Direction - Identify constraints limiting growth - Drive capacity improvements and process optimisation - Support capital decisions with clear operational logic Cross-Functional Leadership - Align Production, QA, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Sales - Remove bottlenecks between departments - Ensure production delivers what the business actually needs Team Leadership - Lead through the Production Manager, not around them - Build accountability and discipline in the plant - Develop people who can run the operation without constant intervention Compensation - All-inclusive CTC package: R700,000 – R840,000 per annum This role is suited to someone ready to step toward General Management responsibility.   Minimum Requirements - Degree in Mechanical or Process Engineering - Minimum 10 years’ experience in food manufacturing or packaging - Strong hands-on experience in: - Juice, dairy, beverage, or liquid processing environments (advantageous) - Strong working knowledge of FSSC 22000 and HACCP What We Expect - You understand production because you have worked in it - You can walk into a plant and identify problems quickly - You take ownership of results, not just processes - You are comfortable making decisions with real consequences - You focus on root cause, not symptoms - You have worked with operators and general workers and can get results through them - You can simplify processes rather than over-engineer them - You are as comfortable discussing cost and margin as you are discussing throughput This Role Is Not For - Managers who have not spent meaningful time on the plant floor - Candidates who rely on reporting rather than execution - Individuals who avoid accountability for outcomes - People who need structured environments to function What Success Looks Like - The plant runs without constant intervention - Output, quality, and cost are stable and predictable - Problems are solved at root cause level and do not repeat - The team performs with clear ownership and accountability - Structured and meaningful reporting on data that has actually been used and implemented - Financial performance improves as a direct result of operational decisions Apply If You have personally improved a plant’s performance, reduced cost, and built systems that last. Be prepared to demonstrate this with real examples. If you cannot point to specific results you have delivered, this role will not be a fit.