Wayne Burden
Nuneaton,United Kingdom
Summary
Accomplished professional with expertise in leadership management and operational development strategy. Demonstrates a strong understanding of safety regulations and KPI establishment, driving performance reporting and outbound project management. Skilled in culture development and project coordination, with a focus on enhancing organisational efficiency. Committed to leveraging skills for strategic growth and operational excellence.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Head of Operations
Handmade Speciality Products Ltd
Coventry, Warwickshire
04.2018 - 06.2025
- Complete responsibility for the manufacturing site (6600m2) up to 160 staff across 2 shifts including direct reportee's being Production Manager, Shift Managers, Warehouse Manager, Technical Manager and Maintenance Engineers.
- Part of Senior Management Team including HACCP
- Ensuring all operations are carried out in the most cost effective way.
- Improving operational performance, process and maintaining best practices.
- Formulating strategic and operational objectives.
- Manage budgets and labour for operational cost centres (Production Staff, Maintenance repairs and servicing, factory consumables and equipment and site services).
- Create, report and manage operational KPI's.
- Staff recruitment through agencies and direct resourcing completing legal right to work checks and onboarding documentation.
- Manage temporary staffing providers, ensuring peak demands are planned with frequent service level and performance reviews
- Ensure HR Policies are followed through senior team including return to works, absence management, annual leave planning, probationary reviews and disciplinary processes up to and including dismissal.
- Oversee and responsible for all Health & Safety on site including DSEAR, Legionella, Asbestos, LOLER, PUWER, Noise and Fire Risk Assessments and audits conducted. Also main contact and responsibility for external contractors RAMS and permits to work.
- Chairperson for internal Health & Safety and Staff Committee meetings.
- Presented and delivered CAPEX opportunities to the senior board and full implementation of Automated robotic gingerbread decorating, Automated Flapjack processing, Automated Gingerbread sheeting and 1st of its kind in the UK Robotic Gingerbread cutting
- Ensured Food safety and customer compliance standards are adhered utilising internal auditing and GMP improvements.
- Main contact for all project delivery on site and conducting FAT's off site and SAT's with full commissioning.
Production Manager
Shire Foods
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
11.2017 - 04.2018
- Responsible for 3 production shifts up to 30 staff on each including batch cooking, processing ingredients to form finished product, packing and wrapping rooms
- Maintained and improved GMP standards and operating practices
- Identify areas within the HR process to improve staff management systems
Production Section Manager
Faccenda Foods Group
Brackley, Northamptonshire
03.2015 - 10.2017
- Managing the processing of live poultry, working with the FSA to ensure bird welfare is the no:1 priority.
- Coordinate the birds being delivered to site through to Gas stun killing, then into Evisceration.
- Managing a multi national team of 62 staff obtain targets of processing 350 birds per minute.
- Main customer being Asda, Lidl, Costco and Nando’s.
- Main focus of attention ensuring Health & Safety standards are in place, Quality and area Technical standards adhered too, monitoring labour, consumables and overhead costs.
- HACCP team deputy.
- Manage Holidays, Absence, Disciplinary, TMS, Occupational Health, Training and staff development.
- Utilising WMS and Invar tracking systems to provide 100% compliance to customers.
Production Manager Manual Lines
Senoble
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
09.2011 - 01.2015
- Following the closure of old St Marys Road site, transferred all products, equipment, machinery and staff in 2 week window to commence production from new factory.
- Implemented revised job descriptions with training, HR Policies, Audit Standards Tesco PIU Green, BRC A+, Customer interaction and compliance.
- Main customer being Tesco launched 139 products in 3 year period with 100% accuracy.
- Developed team of 3 Shift Managers, 80 shop floor staff and Hygiene team of 16 to be self dependant and reliant.
- Introduced high level of discipline into all areas regarding communication and team work, 5S working methods and awareness.
- Project Managed installation of VMI Planetary Mixing Vessels and CEIA Metal Detectors.
- Key objectives achieved Efficiency from 55% to 69% including changeover downtime, reduced short term absence from 4.5% to 1.2%.
- Controlled Chemical and Consumable budgets for all factory departments.
- Worked closely with Technical and Engineering teams to establish a successful production department, maintained H&S awareness, Risk Assessments and Safety Audits.
- Implement JD Edwards (Shelley) operating system.
Senior Shift Manager
Elisabeth The Chef / Senoble
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
07.2010 - 08.2011
- Working in new purpose built desserts facility with state of the art fully automatic production lines, launched products for JS and Thorntons, liaising with Development and Implementation Teams, with team of 3 Shift Managers, 60 Factory Floor Staff.
- Implemented Training programmes, Procedures and Policies and new Health & Safety guidelines.
- Managed daily operations, ensuring smooth running of the shop floor.
Continuous Improvement & Waste Control Manager
Elisabeth The Chef / Senoble
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
05.2010 - 07.2010
- Head of CI & Waste Control Team where main achievement saving £6000 Liquid Cream per month was met, annual saving of £72000.
Site Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
09.2009 - 05.2010
- Site Manager role which involved closure of factory due to loss of JS business and also new owners (Senoble) building purpose built desserts facility to combine several factories within the group.
- Instrumental in the support and guidance for 46 staff members through redundancy period until factory closed.
- Following that worked with Engineering team to de-commission the site of all machinery and supplies as building was to be vacated.
Shift Manager / Deputy Site Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
05.2008 - 09.2009
- Following organisational restructure, returned to Shift Manager position to gain further experience in Site Manager roles and responsibility working under improved guidance.
Factory Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
06.2007 - 05.2008
- Promoted to Site Manager covering Production, Warehousing, Hygiene, Distribution and working directly alongside Technical and Senior Management team, implemented efficiency improvements in factory.
Deputy Production Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
06.2004 - 06.2007
- Develop and learn from Site Manager all aspects of Production Management going into details of Health & Safety, KPI reporting and completion, budget holding and allocation, site profit & loss control, business acumen, customer requirements and Technical Audit standards.
- Covered Site Manager absence or holidays.
- Part of waste reduction Team that achieved a reduction from 18% to 6% saving £376,000 per year in 2006 to 2008.
- Responsible for 3 Shift Managers, 60 staff and 12 Hygiene team.
Production Shift Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
02.2002 - 06.2004
- Shift Manager with 32 direct staff across 2 teams working 4 on 3 off shift pattern on Regal Semi Automated production lines supplying JS and Somerfield Trifles (£1.5 Million) and Cheesecakes.
- Main duties included Planning of daily schedules, staff recruitment, training, coaching and development including disciplinary, preventative maintenance schedules completion, KPI reporting to senior site managers, Holiday planning and Technical Audit compliance.
- Sole site representative in recruitment drive in Poland with temporary staff provider that took 36 Polish nationals into the UK and arranged provision of accommodation as part of obtaining Somerfield Trifle Business.
Machine Operator Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
01.2000 - 02.2002
- Individually selected to support site manager in commissioning semi automatic Regal production lines for JS Trifles and Cheesecake business worth £6 million per year for site, including machinery layout & design, Environmental layout, Off site factory trials and sign off, On site machinery commissioning, Product Development and Customer approval in 6 month project.
- Remained in role and covered Team Leader duties as well as own responsibilities working with a team of 14, ensuring product quality was main KPI, along with Efficiency, Productivity and Waste Control.
Team Leader Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
05.1999 - 01.2000
- Tasked to maintain cooked cheesecake production facility within factory with team of 8 following transfer from other production site due to capacity constraints.
- Responsible for equipment installation, staff selection and training and daily planning of production requirements.
Mixing Room Supervisor
Elisabeth The Chef
08.1996 - 05.1999
- Working with team of 6 - 10, Preparation of food base mixes and components to supply production lines ranging from chocolate fondants, choux pastry mixes, cheesecake batters and delicacy fillings.
- Responsible for planning daily requirements, stock and batch allocation, component weigh up, traceability records and quality assurance prior to issue on lines.
- Completed basic preventative maintenance tasks.
Hygiene Operative / Hygiene Supervisor Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
06.1995 - 08.1996
- Completed food production equipment and environmental cleaning in small team of 4, trained to cover supervisor during absence and holiday, replaced permanently when supervisor left.
- Trained in ATP release and COSHH requirements.
Basic Operative
Elisabeth The Chef
06.1992 - 06.1995
- Worked as basic line operative completing manual handling and assembling duties, initially started as after school job then during exams at school worked full time.
Education
GCSE - English, Mathematics, Geography, Art Design, Art Drawing, Science Physics, Science Biology, Science Chemistry, Sports
Southam High School
01.1989 - 01.1992
Institute of leadership & Management level 3 Merit Award - Leadership & Management
Trident College Warwickshire
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire 09.2004 - 05.2006
Skills
- Leadership management
- Safety regulations knowledge
- KPI establishment
- Operational development strategy
- Performance reporting
- Outbound project management
- Culture development
- Project coordination
- Lean operations expertise
- Budget development
- Workflow optimisation
Custom
- Road & Mountain Bike Cycling
- Motor cycling
- Obstacle Course Racing
- Gym / Exercise
- Country Walks
- Motorsport
Certification
- Food Hygiene – Advanced
- HACCP – Level 3/ Foundation Certificate
- Food Safety Supervision
- IOSH Managing Safely v3.1
- Internal Auditing
- CIEH Level 2 Hygiene Management
- Chemical Handling Train the Trainer
- First Aider
- Fire Marshall
- Storage Racking Systems Safety Awareness
Timeline
Head of Operations
Handmade Speciality Products Ltd
04.2018 - 06.2025
Production Manager
Shire Foods
11.2017 - 04.2018
Production Section Manager
Faccenda Foods Group
03.2015 - 10.2017
Production Manager Manual Lines
Senoble
09.2011 - 01.2015
Senior Shift Manager
Elisabeth The Chef / Senoble
07.2010 - 08.2011
Continuous Improvement & Waste Control Manager
Elisabeth The Chef / Senoble
05.2010 - 07.2010
Site Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
09.2009 - 05.2010
Shift Manager / Deputy Site Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
05.2008 - 09.2009
Factory Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
06.2007 - 05.2008
Institute of leadership & Management level 3 Merit Award - Leadership & Management
Trident College Warwickshire
09.2004 - 05.2006
Deputy Production Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
06.2004 - 06.2007
Production Shift Manager Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
02.2002 - 06.2004
Machine Operator Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
01.2000 - 02.2002
Team Leader Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
05.1999 - 01.2000
Mixing Room Supervisor
Elisabeth The Chef
08.1996 - 05.1999
Hygiene Operative / Hygiene Supervisor Southam
Elisabeth The Chef
06.1995 - 08.1996
Basic Operative
Elisabeth The Chef
06.1992 - 06.1995
GCSE - English, Mathematics, Geography, Art Design, Art Drawing, Science Physics, Science Biology, Science Chemistry, Sports
Southam High School
01.1989 - 01.1992
Similar Profiles
Olivia CrothersOlivia Crothers
Sales at Dragon Products Ltd t/a Handmade ShoesSales at Dragon Products Ltd t/a Handmade Shoes
Sylwia ChrzanowskaSylwia Chrzanowska
Production and Wood Processing Worker at SKITSO - Workshop of Wooden Handmade ProductsProduction and Wood Processing Worker at SKITSO - Workshop of Wooden Handmade Products
Matthew BaldwinMatthew Baldwin
Chemical production worker at GRAD speciality productsChemical production worker at GRAD speciality products
Mihaela UrsuleacMihaela Ursuleac
Teaching assistant in higher education at University of BirminghamTeaching assistant in higher education at University of Birmingham
Ellie Ann JacksonEllie Ann Jackson
Broadband Engineer at Sky TVBroadband Engineer at Sky TV