Plant Production Manager

Job DescriptionTitle:Plant Production & Engineering ManagerLocation: South AfricaSummary: The Plant Production & Engineering Manager will lead, plan, and oversee all manufacturing and engineering operations at the South Africa facility. The role is responsible for ensuring production efficiency, quality, safety, and asset reliability while driving continuous improvement, cost optimization, and team development. The position will play a key role in aligning plant performance with organizational goals and ensuring operational excellence across production and utilities.Roles & Responsibilities:Production Management:Manage end-to-end plant operations to achieve daily, monthly, and annual production targets.Optimize manpower, materials, and machine utilization for maximum efficiency.Track and improve KPIs such as OEE, productivity, yield, downtime, and wastage.Conduct daily review meetings with cross-functional teams to address production issues.Support new product introductions (NPDs) and ensure seamless scale-up of new SKUs.Engineering & Maintenance:Lead all engineering, maintenance, and utilities operations within the plant.Implement preventive and predictive maintenance programs to minimize downtime.Ensure compliance with all safety and statutory regulations for equipment and utilities.Drive energy, water, and fuel efficiency projects to reduce operating costs.Improve equipment reliability and spare parts management through continuous improvement initiatives.Quality, Safety & Compliance:Ensure manufacturing activities comply with GMP, ISO, HACCP, and EHS standards.Promote a zero-incident safety culture and conduct regular audits and risk assessments.Collaborate with QA/QC to ensure product quality and support external audits.People & Performance Management:Lead and develop production and engineering teams through coaching and structured reviews.Define KRAs, evaluate performance, and build a succession pipeline for critical roles.Foster teamwork, accountability, and problem-solving across the plant.Cost Control & Continuous Improvement:Drive cost-reduction initiatives through process improvement and automation.Implement Lean, TPM, and 5S practices across production and engineering areas.Optimize resource consumption and align production with S&OP plans for inventory efficiency.Cross-Functional Collaboration:Partner with Planning, Procurement, QA, Warehouse, and Finance for seamless operations.Support SLOB reduction, improve dispatch accuracy, and ensure container optimization.Key Skills:Production & Maintenance ManagementLean Manufacturing, TPM & 5S ImplementationSAP (PP/PM/MM modules)Utilities & Plant EngineeringProcess Optimization & Cost ControlQuality & Safety Compliance (GMP, ISO, HACCP, EHS)Team Leadership & Performance ManagementContinuous Improvement & Automation ProjectsEducation:B.Tech / B.E. in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial EngineeringExperience:10–15 years of experience in FMCG / Pharma / Cosmetics manufacturing.Minimum 5 years in a managerial role handling both production and engineering functions.Proven experience with automated filling/packing lines, utilities, and plant maintenance.