The Plant Production Manager will lead the development and optimization of the company's manufacturing capabilities for its pet food/animal feed manufacturing business.
Key Responsibilities
- Manufacturing Development & Strategy
- Lead the development and implementation of manufacturing capabilities to support business growth and future capacity requirements.
- Develop and improve manufacturing processes, systems, standards, and operating practices.
- Identify opportunities to improve productivity, yield, quality, cost, capacity, and equipment reliability.
- Provide technical and operational leadership in the scale-up and development of manufacturing operations.
- Establish manufacturing KPIs and performance standards aligned with business objectives.
- Plant, Process & Equipment Development
- Lead the planning and development of manufacturing facilities, production lines, equipment, utilities, and related infrastructure.
- Evaluate manufacturing technologies, equipment specifications, process requirements, and plant layouts.
- Provide technical direction during equipment installation, commissioning, trial production, and production ramp-up.
- Ensure manufacturing facilities and equipment meet required safety, quality, regulatory, and operational standards.
- Work closely with Engineering and Maintenance teams to ensure equipment reliability, maintainability, and operational efficiency.
- Capital Projects & Implementation
- Lead manufacturing development and capital expenditure projects from concept through commissioning and operational handover.
- Develop project scope, timelines, budgets, resource requirements, and execution plans.
- Manage and coordinate contractors, equipment suppliers, consultants, and other external partners.
- Monitor project progress, cost, quality, and schedule to ensure successful delivery.
- Identify and mitigate technical, commercial, and operational risks throughout project execution.
- Drive continuous improvement and manufacturing excellence initiatives.
- Analyze manufacturing performance and identify opportunities for process and equipment optimization.
- Improve production throughput, equipment utilization, yield, quality, and overall operating efficiency.
- Promote Lean Manufacturing, root-cause problem solving, preventive maintenance, and reliability improvement practices.
- Support the implementation of systems and processes that enable sustainable manufacturing performance.
- Lead, coach, and develop manufacturing, engineering, production, and technical teams.
- Provide technical guidance and support to plant and production leadership.
- Collaborate with Quality, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, HR, and other functions to deliver manufacturing objectives.
- Build strong relationships with equipment suppliers, contractors, consultants, and other external partners.
- Provide regular updates and recommendations to senior management on manufacturing development, projects, risks, and opportunities.
Qualifications
- Education & Professional License
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
- At least 8–10 years of relevant experience in manufacturing, plant operations, engineering, production, or manufacturing development.
- Experience in animal feed mills, pet food manufacturing, food processing, or other allied process industries is highly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams and complex manufacturing initiatives.
