Business Manager (CEO Succession Path)
Lead operations. Drive growth. Shape the future.

Our client is a highly successful and innovative fresh produce business seeking a commercially minded business manager to take ownership of the critical interface between production, planning, logistics, and customers.

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will lead the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, ensuring customer commitments, production capacity, and operational delivery are aligned into one integrated business plan. You'll provide strategic leadership to the Production and Dispatch functions, building capability within the management team while driving continuous improvement in efficiency, service, and profitability.

This is a highly visible role with significant customer engagement. You will develop relationships with major accounts, identify opportunities for growth, and ensure operational decisions support commercial performance and margin delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end S&OP process, aligning production, logistics, and commercial priorities.
• Translate crop planning, capacity, and scheduling into reliable customer commitments.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to Production and Dispatch Managers.
• Drive operational excellence, resource utilisation, and cost efficiency.
• Build strong relationships with key customers and identify opportunities for additional volume and product growth.
• Develop management capability and strengthen succession throughout the business.
• Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, helping shape future business strategy.

About You

• Proven leadership experience within fresh produce, horticulture, agriculture, food manufacturing, or a similarly complex operational environment.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing customer relationships and understanding margin drivers.
• Track record of balancing operational delivery with strategic business objectives.
• Experience leading cross-functional planning, supply chain, production, or operations teams.
• Natural leader with the credibility, presence, and ambition to progress into a future CEO-level position.

The Opportunity
This is more than an operational leadership role. It is an opportunity to become a key architect of the business's future, with a clear pathway to broader executive leadership for the right individual.

To find out more, please apply today or contact Tom for a confidential discussion on 01780 480 530 or tom@morepeople.co.uk