Operational Excellence Materials Coordinator

Operational Excellence Materials Coordinator

We have two fantastic opportunities for Operational Excellence Materials Coordinators to join our Nottingham team and make a real impact within a fast-moving food manufacturing environment!

About The Compleat Food Group

At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to be a food business built on purpose and passion. Formed in 2021, we’re on a mission to create Food to Feel Good – great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat.

We’re home to some of the UK’s most exciting and loved food brands, including Wall’s Pastry, Pork Farms, Wrights, The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co., unearthed, Vadasz, Squeaky Bean, Palace Culture, and Harvey & Brockless. Alongside our branded portfolio, we’re a leading supplier of delicious own-label pastry, sweet bakery, party food, olives and antipasti, added-value egg products, continental meats, dips and sauces and plant-based food to the UK’s major retailers, as well as across foodservice.

With over 6,000 talented colleagues across 17 sites, and an annual turnover of £1.3bn, we’re united by a shared ambition to shape the future of food for the better.

We are backed by European private equity firm PAI Partners.

Location: Nottingham

Shifts: Monday – Thursday: 8:30am – 5pm and Friday: 8am – 4pm

Salary: £35,000 – £45,000 per annum DOE

Job Purpose: 

The Operational Excellence Materials Co-ordinator plays a key role in driving continuous improvement and reducing material losses across the business. Working cross-functionally with teams including Operations, Procurement, Technical, and other departments, this role is focused on delivering impactful initiatives that improve efficiency, optimise costs, and create measurable performance improvements across the organisation.

Key Duties, Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• Identifying and leading initiatives to reduce losses within our material cost base including:
  • Reducing cost through purchasing ‘non-processed’ ingredients and adding value in-house (including identification of associated CAPEX where required)
  • End to end diagnostics with suppliers to identify non-value add driving up buying costs (e.g. packaging formats and bespoke requests)
  • Replacing raw material purchase with utilisation of process by-products (i.e. repurposing materials currently considered waste)
  • Transitioning to lower cost raw materials through targeted EPD whilst protecting product quality (e.g. reviewing grade of material required)
  • Diagnostic activity to develop ‘should-cost’ and ‘could cost’ models providing insight to supplier margin and potential negotiation price points
  • Reduction in inventory levels (raw materials and finished goods) to improve cash flow without impacting service
• Broad cross focus with extensive stakeholder management to ensure alignment across multiple functions including but not limited to:
  • Operations – embedding new ways of working and different Operator practises
  • Procurement – redefining requirements for material purchasing and insight into potential purchase prices for negotiation
  • Technical – developing and delivering changes to our manufacturing processes whilst protecting food safety and customer requirements
  • Process – developing and delivering changes to our manufacturing processes in a controlled manner
  • Product Development – material changes whilst protecting product integrity and value
  • Supply Chain – targeted inventory reduction whilst protecting service
  • ESG – alignment on material waste reduction activity in pursuit of our sustainability goals
• Ensure robust project and stakeholder management plans are in place with all changes managed in line with existing company processes and policies (e.g. Launch pad process)
• Ensure financial impact of all activity is tracked with expected ROI for the role 10 x salary cost annually

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

Qualifications 

Degree level or equivalent qualification (specific fields not a pre-requisite although in engineering (Bio, chem, mech) / manufacturing / food or technical an advantage)

• Good level of English in writing and speaking

Experience 

• Experience of working within a manufacturing environment. Chilled Food/FMCG an advantage
• Broad business process awareness including Product Development lifecycle and End to End Supply Chain processes

Skills 

• High levels of emotional intelligence with ability to engage others in the need for change
• Excellent stakeholder management, change management and relationship building skills including negotiation, persuasion and conflict resolution
• Excellent project management skills with qualification in an appropriate model/discipline an advantage
• Presentation skills – confident communicator
• Good level of analytical skills including Excel (e.g. pivot tables, formulae)
• Driving License

Why Join Us?

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your lifestyle, wellbeing and career growth:

Financial & Lifestyle Benefits:

• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work, and SMART Pension
• 33 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra
• Holiday Discounts via our online retail platform
• Access to enhanced retail discounts online and in-store
• Free product handouts across our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand
• EV charging points – available at selected sites

Health & Wellbeing:

• 24/7 access to Grocery Aid for free financial, emotional, and practical support
• Physical Wellbeing Hub – free on-demand exercise classes, gym discounts
• Free diet & nutrition advice with access to thousands of healthy recipes
• Online wellbeing support – from mindfulness to lifestyle resources
• Financial wellbeing tools – including mortgage calculators, budgeting tools, and financial aid

Career Growth & Development:

• Access to a personalised online learning platform (LMS)
• Formal and informal training opportunities tailored to your role
• Performance Development Plans and regular Career Conversations
• Company Mentoring Scheme  to add depth and really support your career journey
• Recognition through Club Compleat rewards

Community & Culture:

• 2 paid volunteering days per year to give back to causes that matter to you
• Charity initiatives and fundraising events
• Team socials to connect and celebrate together
• Employee networks & support groups – including Women @ Compleat
• New baby gift for new parents

What You Should Know About How We Recruit 

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe great teams are built on difference. We create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and are able to be themselves at work.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, just let us know, we’ll support you — confidentially and with care.

We hire the best people for our roles, not the same people. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, we focus on what you do and the impact you could make in our business. Our recruitment process is fair, accessible, and designed to give everyone an equal chance.

You’ll also find benefits that support people at every life stage, plus active internal networks — including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodiversity.