Factory Manager

Factory Manager - Sauces & Shelf-Stable FoodsCompany: Our Client (A leading specialist in shelf-stable Western & Asian sauces, pastes, and condiments)Location: Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Position SummaryWe are seeking a highly experienced and operationally focused Factory Manager to take end-to-end responsibility for the client's food manufacturing facility. This pivotal leadership role oversees all daily operations across Production, Maintenance, and Logistics, ensuring the manufacture of high-quality sauces, pastes, and frozen/chilled products. A deep understanding of food safety compliance, retort technology, and cold-chain management is essential for success.Key Responsibilities1. Operational Leadership & Management End-to-End Oversight: Oversee and manage all daily operations across the production floor, including poultry, meat, chilled & frozen, mayonnaise, and hot sauce sections, as well as the Maintenance and Logistics departments. Performance Targets: Lead, coordinate, and monitor operational activities to consistently achieve demanding targets for productivity, quality, and efficiency. Resource Planning: Plan, allocate, and manage all factory resources, manpower, and complex production schedules effectively. Continuous Improvement: Drive continuous improvement (CI) initiatives, leveraging methodologies like 5S, to enhance overall operational performance and cost efficiency. Cross-Departmental Synergy: Collaborate closely with department heads (R&D, QA/QC) to ensure seamless communication and operational alignment. Maintenance & Downtime: Monitor equipment maintenance schedules, ensuring minimal downtime and optimal performance, especially for specialized retort and freezer equipment.2. Compliance, Licensing, & Specialized Processes Food Safety Standards: Ensure all manufacturing and operational activities strictly comply with HACCP, GMP, FSSC 22000, and Halal standards. Safety & Environment: Enforce workplace safety rules and maintain compliance with DOSH, DOE, and other statutory requirements. Licensing Management (Crucial): Understand, uphold, and ensure compliance with all necessary guideline licenses required for the operations of both the food manufacturing entity and the trading/distribution entity. Retort & Cold Chain: Demonstrate expert knowledge and ensure strict regulatory adherence within the retort technology process and the negative-degree freezer section of the warehouse.3. Reporting & Strategy Reporting: Prepare comprehensive operational reports to support management decision-making and performance reviews.RequirementsExperience & Background (Top Requirements) More than 7 years of progressive experience in operations or factory management within the food processing or manufacturing industry. Crucial: Proven experience working specifically within sauce manufacturing or an identical food processing environment. Specialized Technical Knowledge: Mandatory experience with retort technology and the operational and regulatory requirements of cold chain (chilled & frozen) food production. Licensing Expertise: Demonstrated understanding of the different guideline licenses required for both manufacturing/production entities and distribution/trading entities. Industry Preference: Highly preferred experience in handling poultry, meat, chilled & frozen, Mayonnaise, and hot sauce production environments. Proven ability to lead and coordinate logistics and maintenance functions.Qualifications & Skills Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Operations Management, Food Science, Engineering, or a related field. Specialized training or certification in FSSC 22000, HACCP, GMP, and Halal standards is required. Strong leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication and coordination abilities across all departments. Results-driven and able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.