Plant Director (Site Leader)

For an established international food manufacturing company, we are looking for a Plant Director (Site Leader) to lead the transformation and performance development of a strategically important Italian production site.

Reporting to the General Manager, the successful candidate will assume full responsibility for site operations and lead a workforce of up to approximately 300 employees, depending on seasonal production requirements.

This is a demanding, hands-on leadership assignment for a dynamic and resilient professional who is motivated by complex operational challenges and by the opportunity to build a high-performing organization. The role offers significant visibility within the Group and strong potential for further career development.

The Role

The Plant Director will be responsible for strengthening operational discipline, rebuilding organizational stability and developing a consistent, performance-oriented culture across the site.

The mandate is to improve manufacturing performance while creating an environment in which people understand priorities, take ownership and work effectively across functions. The successful candidate will combine solid food manufacturing expertise with strong people leadership, emotional intelligence and the ability to remain close to day-to-day operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Assume full accountability for the overall performance of the production site, including safety, quality, service, cost, productivity and people development.
• Lead Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and other site-based functions through clear objectives and effective cross-functional coordination.
• Develop and execute a structured site improvement plan aligned with the Group’s operational and business priorities.
• Stabilize the organization, strengthen management routines and establish clear accountabilities across all operational levels.
• Improve plant productivity, capacity utilization, labour efficiency, yields and manufacturing costs.
• Monitor and improve key operational indicators, including OEE, waste, downtime, service levels, quality performance and conversion costs.
• Promote a rigorous continuous improvement culture through Lean Manufacturing, structured problem-solving and data-based decision-making.
• Ensure robust production planning and close alignment between demand, available capacity, workforce requirements and customer service expectations.
• Oversee maintenance strategies, asset reliability and capital expenditure projects aimed at improving site performance and operational resilience.
• Guarantee compliance with food safety, quality, environmental and occupational health and safety requirements.
• Build a strong leadership culture, developing managers and supervisors and strengthening engagement throughout the workforce.
• Establish constructive employee relations and support effective communication during organizational and operational change.
• Work closely with the General Manager and Group leadership, providing transparent reporting on performance, risks, priorities and improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to the longer-term development of the site and support the implementation of Group-wide operational excellence programmes.

Candidate Profile

• Significant experience in senior plant leadership roles within food manufacturing
• Proven responsibility for a sizeable manufacturing site and a large, seasonally variable workforce.
• Demonstrated ability to improve the performance of operationally challenging or evolving manufacturing organizations.
• Strong technical understanding of industrial food production, manufacturing processes, maintenance, engineering, quality and supply chain.
• Solid knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies and structured performance management.
• Experience in managing operational budgets, manufacturing costs, productivity targets and capital investment projects.
• Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems and regulatory compliance in industrial food production.
• Advanced people leadership skills, with the ability to build trust, provide direction and hold teams accountable.
• High level of energy, resilience and personal credibility, combined with a visible and hands-on leadership style.
• Ability to manage complexity, make timely decisions and maintain consistency under pressure.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills across local and international organizations.
• Strategic perspective combined with a pragmatic, execution-focused approach.
• Degree in Engineering, Food Technology, Operations Management or a related discipline.
• Fluency in Italian and English is required.

What We Offer

• A senior leadership role with full responsibility for a strategically relevant manufacturing site.
• The opportunity to lead a substantial operational and cultural transformation.
• Significant exposure to senior international management.
• Strong medium- and long-term career development opportunities within the Group.
• Permanent employment contract.
• Executive compensation package with a fixed annual salary in the range of €120,000–€140,000, together with a company car and additional benefits.

Location: Province of Reggio Emilia, Italy

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