operations manager jobs in Devon

The Role

This is a hands-on, high-impact role responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the roastery while also taking ownership of P&L reporting, budgeting, and people processes.

You’ll ensure everything runs smoothly across the manufacturing operation, while also driving profitability, developing team capability, and building systems and processes for growth. As second in command you will work closely with the MD and act as both the operational and commercial backbone of the company.

This is a super exciting role for a candidate who thrives on autonomy and accountability with the opportunity to take ownership of the operation of a successful speciality coffee roastery.

About us

Roastworks is a purpose-led brand on a mission to make coffee farming a sustainable business for generations to come. What farmers get paid is decided by something called the C Market – a commodity index based in New York. The problem with the “C” is that it doesn’t account t for a farmer’s production costs, how changing weather affects their crops, let alone how much money the farmer needs to make to survive. Where here to change that and put pricing firmly in the hands of producers, exactly where it belongs.

Now in our eleventh year, our business is going from strength to strength with a diverse customer base from retailers such as Waitrose and Ocado to independent cafes and thousands of end user customers buying from our growing online store.

At the heart of our operation is a passionate team and great culture, and we’re always looking for smart, talented people to join us.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Production

• Working closely with Production Lead and Head of Coffee to oversee daily roasting, packing, and dispatch operations.
• Ensure production plans meet demand and deliver best in class OTIF.
• Implement and maintain S&OP process.

Safety & Quality

• Implement a safety first culture ensuring zero lost-time accidents and a culture of near miss reporting.
• Maintain SALSA level food safety, hygiene, and quality standards.
• Ensure traceability and compliance across all operations.
• Uphold the highest product quality and consistency standards.

Supply Chain & Logistics

• Own supplier relationships (everything but green coffee).
• Optimise inventory management and ordering cycles to protect cash flow.
• Work closely with Production Lead to oversee inbound deliveries and outbound shipping.
• Identify and deliver cost-saving initiatives across the supply chain.

Commercial & Financial Responsibility

• Own P&L reporting, with accountability for gross and net margin and key cost lines.
• Develop and manage operational budgets (COGS, logistics, labour, overheads).
• Produce monthly reporting on performance vs budget, with clear actions.
• Analyse margins by product/customer/channel and drive improvements.
• Work with the MD to support pricing strategy and cost management.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability.

Team Leadership & HR Responsibilities

• Lead and support the operations team to drive engagement and team capability.
• Take responsibility for recruitment, onboarding, and training of operational staff.
• Handle day-to-day HR matters (performance management, absence, holiday calendar etc.)
• Foster a high-performance, accountable, and positive team culture.
• Ensure compliance with basic employment policies and procedures.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Identify inefficiencies and implement improvements.
• Introduce BI and AI systems/tools to improve efficiency, reporting, and planning.

What we're looking for:

• At least 5 years experience of mid to senior level management in food manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience of SALSA.
• A great people leader.
• Strong commercial acumen.
• An interest in coffee and a willingness to learn more.

Nice to have:

• Previous experience of P&L reporting and budget management.
• Previous experience in coffee is not essential, but would be very valuabble in this role.

Pay: £45,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person