Your Future in the World of Fruit & Vegetables

SVZ provides top-tier, sustainable fruit and vegetable ingredients to leading food and beverage manufacturers globally. With production facilities throughout Europe and strong partnerships with growers, we leverage decades of expertise in natural ingredients while maintaining a steadfast commitment to quality and sustainability. Our team is dedicated to transforming nature’s finest into ingredients that inspire healthy and delightful products for millions of consumers worldwide.

As the Head of Supply Chain Operations, you will be responsible for the operational management of three production sites located in Spain, Poland, and Belgium, overseeing approximately 250 permanent employees, which can increase to over 650 during peak seasons. You will play a vital role in the SVZ Management Team in Breda, reporting to senior leadership while also engaging with the Döhler matrix organization.

Your responsibilities will include leading manufacturing, quality, maintenance, and logistics across the cluster, driving operational excellence, service performance, and cost efficiency. You will work closely with Cluster and Regional Demand & Supply Planning and Procurement to foster continuous supply chain improvements and support digitalization and process harmonization initiatives throughout the region.

This role requires a strategic leader who understands the complexities of our business and supply chain dynamics, capable of engaging teams and driving sustainable performance through clear direction and effective execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee operational management for the SVZ cluster (Spain, Poland, Belgium).
• Lead and develop the Heads of Plant and their management teams, fostering a high-performance culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.
• Drive performance in production, maintenance, quality, safety, and logistics.
• Ensure alignment with Planning and Procurement to maintain service performance and inventory transparency.
• Optimize capacity, yield, service levels, and overall cost competitiveness.
• Lead harmonization, digitalization, and automation initiatives across the cluster.
• Manage capital investments in line with growth objectives.
• Act as a strategic operations partner within SVZ and the Döhler Group matrix organization.

Who We Are Looking For

We seek a senior operations leader with extensive international experience and a strong manufacturing background. You should thrive in complex, multi-site, and matrix environments, marrying strategic thinking with practical execution. Your ability to balance immediate operational performance with long-term strategic development is essential, as is your capacity to create structure, discipline, and transparency while maintaining agility.

Your Profile

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Proven experience in senior operations or multi-site leadership roles in an international context.
• Strong grasp of operational supply chain dynamics within the process, food, or beverage industries (experience with seasonal/agricultural supply chains is a plus).
• Demonstrated success in operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with matrix organizations and strong cross-cultural leadership skills.
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP).
• Fluent in English; proficiency in additional European languages is advantageous.

What We Offer

• A strategic executive position within a growing international organization.
• Direct influence on operational performance and strategic investment decisions.
• A culture that promotes ownership, sustainability, and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Close collaboration with the SVZ Management Team in Breda and colleagues across Europe.
• A dynamic international environment where your leadership will make a significant impact.