Operations Head (Production)

We are hiring aHead of Operationsto lead and oversee multiple geographically dispersed production units. This role is responsible for ensuring strategic alignment, operational excellence, and strong financial performance across the business. The Head of Operations will drive integration between decentralized production and maintenance teams and centralized corporate functions to maximize productivity, sustainability, and asset reliability.

The role engages closely with the Executive Team, customers, support teams, operations and production teams, as well as other key stakeholders as required

Qualification and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Operations Management, Engineering, or a comparable discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in agricultural production or operations management, including a minimum of 5 years at executive or senior leadership level with accountability for multiple sites and integrated maintenance functions.
• Demonstrated expertise in enterprise-level strategic planning, financial stewardship, capital investment, and asset optimization.
• Proven track record of leading and integrating decentralized operations with centralized corporate governance and support functions.
• Exceptional executive leadership, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities, including engagement at Board and Executive Committee level.

• Strong experience leveraging ERP/MRP systems and advanced operational reporting to drive performance, governance, and decision-making.

• Achievement of production targets across all sites (volume, yield, quality).
• Year-on-year improvement in operational efficiency and productivity.
• Adherence to operational plans, schedules, and strategic objectives.
• Successful execution of sustainability initiatives and resource optimization strategies.

• Operations delivered within approved budgets.
• Reduction in unit production costs and waste.
• Accurate forecasting and effective cost-control measures.
• Capital expenditure delivered on time, within scope and budget.

• Asset availability and utilization rates meeting or exceeding targets.
• Reduction in unplanned downtime across production units.
• Preventative maintenance compliance rate.
• Maintenance costs optimized without compromising safety or reliability.
• Extension of asset lifecycle and improved return on assets.

• Zero major safety incidents and continuous improvement in safety metrics.
• Compliance with food safety, quality, and environmental standards.
• Successful completion of internal and external audits with minimal findings.
• Reduction in environmental impact indicators (water, energy, waste).

• Effective coordination with HR, Finance, Systems, and Maintenance teams.
• Workforce capacity aligned with operational demand.
• Accuracy and integrity of ERP/MRP operational data.
• Timely and accurate consolidated reporting.

• Implementation and adherence to standardized SOPs and KPIs across sites.
• Continuous improvement initiatives delivered with measurable gains.
• Audit compliance scores across decentralized operations.
• Successful harmonization of best practices while respecting site-specific needs.

• Performance and capability improvement of Production Unit Managers.
• Employee engagement and retention rates.
• Succession plans in place for key operational roles.
• Training completion and skills development metrics achieved.

• Delivery of cross-site projects on time, within budget, and to specification.
• Effective stakeholder engagement during change initiatives.
• Minimal operational disruption during implementation of new systems or processes.

• Timely, accurate, and actionable operational and financial reports.
• Quality of insights and recommendations provided to executive leadership.
• Responsiveness to executive and stakeholder information requirements

Location:Krugersdorp