State Operations Manager, Adelaide

Play a key role in supporting the Australian economy.
- Discounted food, travel, entertainment, gym membership, staff parking and, + more.
- Onsite | Adelaide.

**Company**

For 81 years, we've achieved success through our ability to innovate, placing a clear emphasis on how we best serve our customers’ needs. As demand continues to grow, we have expanded rapidly, now delivering a superior range of dry goods, frozen and chilled products, fresh seafood and meat, confectionery, paper products, and cleaning solutions.

In recent years, we’ve seen significant growth and invested in our systems and processes, building a close partnership with Woolworths Group that has continued to deliver high-quality service for our customers and suppliers.

In 2024, Woolworths moved to a 100% interest in the PFD business, bringing PFD exciting opportunities as a strategic part of the Group. Sharing expertise across both teams will ensure our continued success and drive further growth and unlock our collective potential.

**About this Position**

At PFD, we bring people together through food and in this role, you’ll be at the heart of making that happen across South Australia.

As State Operations Manager - SA, you will take full accountability for our four sites (Adelaide, Mt Gambier, Whyalla and Mildura), leading a workforce of 200+ people with a labour spend of $20M. This is not a “caretaker/maintenance” role, it’s an opportunity to drive real change. With new leadership and significant investment underway, you’ll embed a safety-first culture, lift team engagement, and deliver commercial excellence while shaping the future of our SA operations.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Lead and inspire operational teams across three sites, setting a clear vision and driving accountability.
- Champion a safety-first culture and embedding behaviours and systems that keep our people safe every day.
- Manage labour, freight, stock loss, and operational expenses to deliver on budget and efficiency targets.
- Drive transformation projects, including site upgrades, COR strengthening, and the rollout of Manhattan WMS.
- Partner with and influence key stakeholders, including employees, customers, and senior leadership
- Build a high-performing team culture and lifting engagement, developing leaders, and creating a workplace people are proud of.
- Ensure compliance with all food safety standards, regulations, and audit requirements across all sites.
- Drive sustainability initiatives, embedding environmentally responsible practices in operations and logistics.
- Oversee and manage the maintenance, utilisation, and optimisation of physical site assets to ensure operational resilience.

**What We’re Looking For**

To thrive in this role, you will bring:

- Proven leadership experience managing large operational teams (80+ employees).
- A safety-first mindset with a track record of lifting safety culture and performance.
- Strong background in warehousing/distribution.
- Senior-level operational experience, ideally within food service, FMCG, or temperature-controlled environments.
- The ability to balance strategic leadership with getting into the detail when needed and optimising costs, processes, and outcomes.
- Strength in stakeholder management, including experience with IR/ER and EBA environments.
- Energy, vision, and passion for creating change, backed by the resilience to bring people on the journey.

**Bonus points if you have**:

- Tier 1 WMS experience (e.g., Manhattan).
- Exposure to route transport operations and fleet management.
- A track record of successfully leading cultural or structural change programs.

**What Success Looks Like**
- A clear shift in safety culture and measured not only in results, but in behaviours, engagement, and how people talk about safety every day.
- Higher engagement scores and a more energised workforce, moving from “doing the minimum” to taking pride in their performance.
- Labour, freight, and transport costs consistently delivered within budget, with efficiency gains captured across operations. Strong audit and COR compliance results, with corrective actions resolved quickly and standards embedded into daily routines.

We are offering competitive remuneration, superannuation and other staff benefits (such as discounts on staff purchases, discounted accommodation, health insurance and banking). As part of this position, we are also offering participation in an incentive program

**Culture & Values**

**Customer Focus**

Know your external and internal customers. Gain and preserve their confidence because we can only be successful if our customers are successful.

**Respect**

Treat people at work and in the community as they would like to be treated. Act safely, responsibly, and ethically.

**Passion**

Share the passion of making us a successful and dynamic company. Let’s celebrate successes.

**Simplicity**

Let’s minimise the complications of doing business so customer services are on time, accurate a