Craig Hlongwane
Greater Manchester
Summary
A highly skilled professional with expertise in FMCG manufacturing and production excellence, leveraging best practices such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP). Demonstrates strong leadership skills, budget cost management, and a commitment to health and safety compliance, supported by an IOSH managing safely qualification. Proficient in continuous improvement methodologies including Lean Six Sigma, TIMWOODS, and root cause analysis techniques. Adept at coordinating team projects with a focus on production KPIs, while fostering team building and motivation. Career goals include advancing operational efficiency through innovative solutions and strategic leadership. Looking for a change and new challenge.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work history
Site Operations Manager
Stanley Black & Decker
Warrington
05.2025 - Current
- Mitigated risk by enforcing strict adherence to safety guidelines.
- Provided troubleshooting solutions swiftly resolving any issues that arose onsite.
- Ensured compliance with regulations by conducting thorough audits.
- Established safe site operations by implementing health and safety procedures.
- Applied 8D problem solving technique to solve COPQ issues with maximum efficiency and prevent recurrence.
- Implemented project management tools such as built project charter with a action tracker and Gantt chart to improve team coordination efforts.
Operations manager
Mars Inc
Leeds
08.2024 - 04.2025
- Negotiated contracts with suppliers for cost-effective procurement of resources.
- Led teams to achieve business objectives on time and within budget constraints.
- Implemented quality control measures, enhanced product standards.
- Identified bottlenecks, implemented solutions, increased productivity.
- Applied lean principles to operations management, reduced waste significantly.
Operations Manager
The Kraft Heinz Company
Greater Manchester
05.2021 - 08.2024
- Team Leadership: Experience with motivating and managing managers. Lead a diverse team, fostering a positive and productive environment. Set clear expectations/goals, provide guidance and ensure effective communication. Direct reports of six shift managers, one engineering manager and one process engineer (In-direct reports)
- Continuous improvement and development: recently accomplished a project which saved £1.2M per year for the site by eliminating a 6-hour size changeover which had become part of the norm for years. The changes meant 5.15hours can now be line running instead of awaiting changeover which increased production output.
- Performance management: Monitor and evaluate team and individual performance against key performance indicators (KPI’s).
- Budgeting and Cost Control: Develop and manage budgets, ensuring effective allocation of resources. Always look for new ways to reduce spending by implementing cost control measures (such as labour, utilizes, investments and cost per product).
- Technology integration and innovation: Stay updated on industry trends and advancements in technology.
- Communication and collaboration: Ensure there is effective communication and collaboration between different departments. Foster standardization across all departments.
- Health and Safety Compliance: Establish and enforce health and safety protocols. Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards are met with routine checks by myself and team.
- Reporting and Analysis: Attend daily meetings and prepare regular reports on operational performance for senior and site management. Also, conduct data analysis to identify trends and area of improvement.
- Process Improvement: Identify opportunities for operational improvements and efficiencies. Streamline processes and workflows to enhance productivity.
Graduate Scheme - Production Management
Morrison’s Plc
Chesire
07.2017 - 04.2021
- Drove operational KPI’s which resulted into savings and improved profit margins (Continuous improvement).
- Followed and drove colleagues to follower all policies, regulations, dress codes and schedules.
- Maintained excellent attendance record, consistently arriving to work on time by leading by example.
- Supervised production line’s processes and monitor machinery to prevent overloads and avoid malfunctions. Implemented scheduled maintenance in meetings with engineers (DMR’S), retooling production status sheets and driving engineering tasks to achieve scheduling effectiveness.
- Directed manufacturing process and operational efficiency procedures to achieve goal of first run capability.
- Managed product quality to guarantee compliance with quality policies, procedures and systems.
- Defined manufacturing performance standards and reviewed outcome of performance goals to set future targets.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Sports Science
University Of Bolton
BoltonBTEC National Certificate - Sports Science
Wigan & Leigh College
LeighGCSE -
Bedford High School
LeighSkills
- Build and data collection via Microsoft excel and Microsoft Teams
- IOSH managing safely qualification and Health & Safety compliance
- FMCG Manufacturing and Production Excellence Best Practices (Standard Operating procedure SOP, OPL's, WOW and SMP’s)
- Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP)
- Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence systems (Mii - OEE)
- Continuous improvement skills (TIMWOODS, Fishbone, IDA, 5 why’s, CIL’s, SOC and RCFA)
- Leadership skills and Budget cost management
- Human resources policies (Absence management, Performance improvement plans (PIP), Investigations, Disciplinaries and Appeals)
- Coordinating team projects and production KPI driven
- Ongoing Lean six sigma training
- Team Building and Motivation
Hobbies
A fan of sports such as football, boxing and American football (NFL)., Reading books or audio listen and podcasts such as 48 laws of power and Joe Rogan show., Enjoying time in the gym - weight lifting mainly, cardio needed soon., Going for long walks and hikes with my wife., Interests in history such as Marcus Aurelius or Rise and Fall of the roman empire and world-wide of topics., Site seeing parks, nature reserves and museums.
Accomplishments
- Able to build and collect data via Microsoft Excel/google sheets to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.
- Safety Audit - Led monthly safety audits to monitor employee behavior and ensure safe compliance with company policies and safety regulations.
- Supervised teams of 45-75 staff members. Appointed commissioning managers for the installation of a brand-new cooker costing £8.5million. Others projects just as PLC upgrades worth £2-4million.
- Aided with implementation of a Kaizen system with includes Defect handling, CIL’s, Centrelining, 5’s and RCFA.
- Six sigma white and yellow belts, currently training for the green belt.
- Business improvement course, recently accomplished a project which saved £1.2M per year for the site.
- A3 Projects: one of the production lines had an average of 30% downtime daily and my project reduced it to 6% by implementing a breakdown tracker which monitored the root causes.
- A3 Projects: Eliminated a 6-hour size changeover by better planned and an alternative route which meant production can run while that changeover is being done.
- Trained and prompted a number of colleagues to roles with more responsibilities. Good at building talent.
- Supervised teams of 45-75 staff members.
Affiliations
- Hiking
- NFL
- Football
- Listening to podcasts and audio books
Timeline
Site Operations Manager
Stanley Black & Decker
05.2025 - Current
Operations manager
Mars Inc
08.2024 - 04.2025
Operations Manager
The Kraft Heinz Company
05.2021 - 08.2024
Graduate Scheme - Production Management
Morrison’s Plc
07.2017 - 04.2021
Bachelor of Science - Sports Science
University Of Bolton
BTEC National Certificate - Sports Science
Wigan & Leigh College
GCSE -
Bedford High School