Head of Operations

Lizone Consulting Limited is recruiting a Head of Operations on behalf of a client operating within the agribusiness and food-processing sector.
The Head of Operations will serve as a key member of the senior management team and deputy to the General Manager, playing a critical role in transitioning the business from its incubation and development stage into structured, scalable and commercially sustainable operations.
The role requires a commercially minded operations leader capable of building systems and coordinating an integrated business spanning agriculture/farm operations, food processing and manufacturing, distribution, retail and commercial activities.
The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with strong execution capability and will be responsible for establishing the operational structures, processes, teams and controls required to support the organisation's growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of operational frameworks, processes, policies and structures required to transition the business from incubation into full-scale operations.
  
• Translate the organisation's business strategy into practical operating plans, systems and performance priorities.
  
• Establish appropriate workflows, reporting structures, operating procedures and accountability mechanisms across business units.
  
• Identify operational gaps and implement scalable solutions that support sustainable growth.
  
• Develop operational KPIs and management reporting mechanisms to monitor business performance.
  
• Provide leadership and coordination across the organisation's emerging farming, processing/manufacturing, distribution, retail and commercial operations.
  
• Ensure operational activities are aligned with the company's strategic and financial objectives.
  
• Drive productivity, operational efficiency, cost optimisation and effective utilisation of resources.
  
• Establish appropriate operational controls and performance-management systems.
  
• Identify operational risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
  
• Provide strategic oversight for agricultural operations covering crop cultivation and animal husbandry.
  
• Work closely with agronomists, farm managers and other technical specialists to develop scalable and commercially viable farming systems.
  
• Support farm planning, production scheduling, resource utilisation and productivity improvement.
  
• Monitor operational performance and ensure farming activities support downstream processing and commercial requirements.
  
• Promote efficient and sustainable agricultural practices across operations.
  
• Lead the establishment and development of value-added food processing and manufacturing operations.
  
• Develop appropriate production processes, workflows and operating standards.
  
• Ensure production activities meet applicable quality, food-safety and regulatory requirements.
  
• Monitor production efficiency, capacity utilisation, wastage and operating costs.
  
• Support the transition from initial processing activities toward scalable, larger-volume manufacturing operations.
  
• Coordinate production requirements with agricultural supply, procurement, inventory and commercial demand.
  
• Establish effective systems for procurement, inventory management, logistics and product distribution.
  
• Develop and manage relationships with vendors, suppliers, distributors and other commercial partners.
  
• Build appropriate distribution channels to support efficient movement of products from production to market.
  
• Support the establishment and growth of retail and trading operations.
  
• Ensure inventory availability and distribution activities are aligned with production capacity and market demand.
  
• Apply strong commercial judgment to operational decision-making and resource allocation.
  
• Identify opportunities for revenue growth, productivity improvement and cost optimisation.
  
• Work with management to assess the commercial viability of new products, markets, distribution channels and expansion opportunities.
  
• Monitor key operational and commercial performance indicators.
  
• Ensure operational decisions contribute to sustainable margins, cash flow and long-term profitability.
  
• Develop an integrated operating model connecting agricultural production → processing/manufacturing → distribution → retail/market.
  
• Ensure effective coordination and information flow between the different business units.
  
• Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies and capacity constraints across the value chain.
  
• Align production capacity with processing requirements and market demand.
  
• Drive continuous improvement across the organisation's farm-to-market operations.
  
• Represent the organization in operational discussions with partners, vendors, suppliers, regulators and other stakeholders.
  
• Build and maintain productive relationships with external stakeholders critical to business operations.
  
• Support compliance with relevant agricultural, manufacturing, food-safety and other regulatory requirements.
  
• Deputise for the General Manager when required and represent management in relevant business and operational matters.
  
• Recruit, build, mentor and lead cross-functional operational teams as the business expands.
  
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, performance expectations and accountability across departments.
  
• Develop capable managers and supervisors who can independently lead key operational functions.
  
• Foster a culture of collaboration, ownership, discipline, continuous improvement and results.
  
• Ensure effective coordination between agricultural, manufacturing, supply-chain, retail and commercial teams.
  

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline.
  
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience, with demonstrated exposure across:
  
• Agriculture and farm operations;
  
• Food processing/manufacturing; and
  
• Commercial, trading, distribution or retail operations.
  
• Candidates must have substantial experience in at least two of the three areas above.
  
• Demonstrable experience in a senior operational or business leadership position.
  
• Proven ability to manage diverse teams, multiple business functions and complex operational structures.
  
• Strong understanding of farm operations, agro-processing and commercial/distribution activities.
  
• Demonstrated ability to establish processes, structures and operating systems within a growing or evolving organization.
  
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance operational performance, cost, growth and profitability.
  
• Strong leadership, decision-making, analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
  
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, entrepreneurial and growth-focused environment.
  
• Willingness and ability to work and travel between Lagos, Ondo and other locations as business requirements demand.
  

Preferred / Nice-to-Have Requirements

• Master's degree, MBA or relevant professional qualification.
  
• Experience supporting the scale-up of an agribusiness, manufacturing or integrated agricultural operation.
  
• Experience establishing new operations, business units, facilities or operating systems.
  
• Exposure to an integrated farm-to-processing-to-market value chain.