Plant Manager

About the Role

The Plant Manager at Barry Callebaut holds a pivotal position in managing the manufacturing facility's daily operations and planning long-term developments. Responsibilities encompass optimizing production processes, ensuring quality standards, managing budgets, and promoting operational excellence. By aligning efforts with Barry Callebaut's strategic objectives, they strategically address plant-specific challenges, implement sustainable practices, cultivate supplier and support customer relationships, and lead initiatives for continuous improvement to enhance overall plant performance and maximize company success.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead, direct and control the day-to-day activities of the plant to achieve the short and medium term financial and operating objectives set by the overall corporate business plan.
2. Responsible for activities such as maintenance, manufacturing, quality control and participate in the management of the entire quality system (HACCP).
3. Establish operational budgets; monitor the cost and effectiveness of production activities to optimize resource, prioritize spending and achieve volume, quality and manufacturing standards.
4. Set and monitor the performance of the plant against standards and targets in areas such as manufacturing and administration efficiency, cost control (budget process, controlling, measurement, KPI management) sales revenue, legal compliance and human resource management.
5. Allocate labor and capital resources to maximize productivity; research, evaluate and recommend investment in technology, capital, equipment, systems or other assets that will enhance the plant’s production capabilities.
6. Manage all stakeholder relationships for the site; responsible for executing regional and corporate projects as well as legal compliance and risk management at the site.
7. Lead and build the site team and coordinate the development of capabilities; set short and medium term strategies for the plant in line with CSD strategy including Continuous Improvement, Quality and Safety while ensuring in-and outbound materials are in line with agreed requirements.

About You

1. 10+ years of experience in a production environment including food manufacturing methods, process improvement program and procedures.
2. Knowledge in MS Office Suite, Maximo and SAP.
3. Strong technical background with business and managerial skills.
4. Experience in Project Management and Leadership.
5. Continuous Improvement – advanced level (including Capex).
6. Good knowledge of the cocoa sector and market.
7. Strong process flow and control basic skills.
8. Have technical experience in Maintenance and Utilities.
9. Bachelor Degree or Masters in Engineering, Food Science or similar.
10. Knowledge in SAP, Maximo and operational tools (such as Lean, 6 Sigma, 5S).
11. Excellent global stakeholder management requirement.
12. Fluent in English/French Language.
13. Resilience for implementing cultural change when needed.
14. Strong ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams.
15. Strong drive to achieve.
16. Have good communication and listening skills.
17. Easy to connect to people and communicate to the shop floor team.
18. Flexible in managing matrix organization; seeks to make the best use of resources in or outside of his organization.
19. Be hands-on and have a strong shop floor presence.