# Chief Operating Officer: Production

> ARVO · Klapmuts, South Africa · Full-time · Posted 2026-06-09

**Workplace:** on_site

**Department:** Babylonstoren

## Description

### **Chief Operating Officer: Production**

-   _FMCG Manufacturing | Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Dairy, Soap & Bakery | Multi-Factory Operations_
-   Location: Klapmuts/Franschhoek area.
-   Salary offered: Market related and dependent on experience.
-   Position type: Full time, permanent position.

Our client is seeking an experienced and strategically minded **Chief Operating Officer: Production** to lead and oversee a diverse group of manufacturing operations spanning non-alcoholic beverages, dairy, soap production, and bakery manufacturing.

This is a senior executive leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, financial performance, and long-term strategic growth across multiple production sites. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping and executing the overall manufacturing strategy while ensuring efficiency, quality, and scalability across all business units.

### **Key Responsibilities**

-   Develop and implement an integrated operational strategy across all manufacturing facilities, focused on sustainable growth, profitability, and operational excellence
-   Oversee end-to-end performance of all production units against budgets, revenue targets, and profitability goals
-   Analyse financial and operational performance, identify trends, and provide actionable insights and recommendations to executive leadership
-   Lead the annual business planning and budgeting process and ensure disciplined execution throughout the financial year
-   Optimise production processes, capacity utilisation, and cost efficiency across all sites
-   Drive continuous improvement initiatives, innovation, and product development across manufacturing divisions
-   Build, lead, and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, performance, and operational discipline
-   Collaborate closely with technical, logistics, and commercial teams to ensure integrated and efficient operations
-   Ensure strict compliance with quality assurance and food safety standards across all facilities

## Requirements

### **Requirements**

-   5–8+ years’ experience in food manufacturing, FMCG, or production management, with at least part of this at senior management level
-   Tertiary qualification in Food Science, Engineering, Production Management, or a related field
-   Strong technical understanding of manufacturing processes and production environments
-   Proven track record in strategic planning and execution within complex operational settings
-   Strong financial acumen, including the ability to interpret financial statements and drive data-led business decisions
-   Experience managing multi-site or multi-departmental operations will be highly advantageous
-   Strong leadership capability with experience managing large teams
-   Excellent problem-solving ability with strong attention to detail
-   Ability to perform effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment

### **Personal Attributes**

-   Strategic thinker with strong commercial awareness
-   Results-driven, decisive, and execution-focused
-   Analytical and structured in approach
-   Innovative with a continuous improvement mindset
-   High sense of ownership, accountability, and integrity
-   Strong communicator in both Afrikaans and English

## Apply

[Apply at ARVO](https://apply.workable.com/arvo/j/7ACADF60D5/apply)

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