Kris Kyriacou
Glasgow
Summary
A confident, flexible, reliable, commercially astute, dynamic, positive and well rounded ‘hands on’ manager focused on operational excellence with over 30 years history of proven performance in delivering cost reductions and efficiency drivers in a variety of positions in high pressure fast moving consumer goods production environments for world class manufacturers of personal care products including Body Shop, L’Oreal and Daabon supplying from supermarkets to high end customers such as Marks and Spencer, Burberry and Jo Malone with excellent intuition and ability to think on the feet and find creative solutions to solving problems having been involved in and and exposed to a huge array of manufacturing processes, teams and practices from implementation to delivery.
Overview
40
40
years of professional experience
Work history
Manufacturing Improvements Manager
Scottish Fine Soaps
Falkirk
11.2024 - 08.2025
- Reorganised shop floor to improve production flow.
- Implemented a computer based production efficiency reporting system.
- Converted pack off tables to powered assembly belt process.
- Installed a tiered structure of responsibility including Team Leaders.
- Introduced CANDO philosophies and systems.
- Implemented a performance appraisal system.
- Improved team buy in and engagement.
Operations Intergration Manager
Soapworks Limited
Glasgow
01.2021 - 07.2024
- Responsible for integration of new products, customers, processes and working practices in the plant with focus on delivering customer satisfaction and adherence to brief in the most effective way whilst maximising efficiency and output for the business focusing on maximum profit generation, role included procurement of all plant, machinery and equipment required for process, obtaining all tooling required, managing and refining packaging technology, organising, carrying out and documenting all trials and embedding new processes throughout the plant, working directly as link between New business development, NPD and Technical and Production and Engineering dept's to ensure timely and smooth onboarding of new products, was able to onboard 8-12 new customers and products per year whilst delivering typical 10-15% improvement in profit margin and £800K cost savings over three years in the role.
Manufacturing Manager
Soapworks Limited
Glasgow
03.1994 - 01.2021
- Complete responsibility for shift based manufacturing operation inclusive of pressed soap bar production, liquid filling and assembly departments, directly responsible for 120-200 production staff inclusive of supervision and team leaders
- Hands on experience of process improvement, lean management initiatives, packaging technology development and efficiency driven projects including establishing the streamlining of multi staged soap bar production to single stage and successful implementation of new technologies such as flow wrapping, cartoning and pleat wrapping having been directly involved in saving of over £400k PA in manufacturing costs through various initiatives
- Chair daily operations meetings with dept heads and responsible for all product costing, KPI monitoring and reporting as well as maintenance and utilisation of company ERP system (Navision)
Assistant Production Manager
Soapworks Limited
Glasgow
01.1991 - 03.1994
- Provided direct support to production manager including management of all administrative duties and daily direction to team of shift production supervisors whilst implementing company wide KPI's and standard operating procedures
- Implemented system of shop floor control documentation for all works orders.
- Role included deputising for production manager in their absence.
Training and Projects Supervisor
Soapworks Limited
Glasgow
02.1990 - 01.1991
- Responsible for creation and delivery of over 50 standard work instructions, bullet point guidelines and operating procedures throughout the plant
- Created computerised training database and matrix covering 150 staff
- Implemented programme of cross training for all shop floor staff.
Production Team Leader
Soapworks Limited
Glasgow
08.1989 - 02.1990
- Responsible for small teams of up to 12 Operators on shift basis with duties including deployment, training, line process control and all related documentation providing first class performance and results resulting in promotion.
Machine Operator
Vilware Packaging Limited
Glasgow
12.1987 - 08.1989
- Responsible for machine set up and output in corrugate cardboard and packaging materials production plant, working to daily targets and responsible to shift supervisor.
Trainee Floor Manager
Family run business
Glasgow, Glasgow City
08.1985 - 06.1987
- Learning basics of restaurant management in family business.
Education
Microsoft Office Package
Pitman Training
Managing people and teams for growth
Strategem
NEBSM Introductory award
John Wheatley College
NEBSM Full Certificate
John Wheatley College
Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Strathclyde University
Glasgow Higher National Diploma - Management
Bell College
HamiltonHNC - Management
Bell College
HamiltonSkills
- Operations oversight
- Workflow and process optimisation
- Cost reduction initiatives
- KPI implementation and tracking
- Dept Management
- Influential communication
- Team Leading from front and by example
- Effective delegation and use of precious resource
- Focused on cost saving and waste reduction
- Project management and coordination
- Resilience and calmness under pressure
- Product development and implementation
- Quality assurance and right first time focused
- HR savvy in all areas
- Customer relationship management
- Excellent presentation skills
- Product Knowledge and integration
- Stakeholder engagement
- Client relationship building
- Budget management
Hobbies and interests
Travel, keep fit, sports, keen interest in martial arts and languages, presently learning Italian and enjoy cooking and outdoors activities with my family, currently enjoying fishing.
Personal Information
Nationality: British
Timeline
Manufacturing Improvements Manager
Scottish Fine Soaps
11.2024 - 08.2025
Operations Intergration Manager
Soapworks Limited
01.2021 - 07.2024
Manufacturing Manager
Soapworks Limited
03.1994 - 01.2021
Assistant Production Manager
Soapworks Limited
01.1991 - 03.1994
Training and Projects Supervisor
Soapworks Limited
02.1990 - 01.1991
Production Team Leader
Soapworks Limited
08.1989 - 02.1990
Machine Operator
Vilware Packaging Limited
12.1987 - 08.1989
Trainee Floor Manager
Family run business
08.1985 - 06.1987
Microsoft Office Package
Pitman Training
Managing people and teams for growth
Strategem
NEBSM Introductory award
John Wheatley College
NEBSM Full Certificate
John Wheatley College
Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Strathclyde University
Higher National Diploma - Management
Bell College
HNC - Management
Bell College
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