Plant Factory Manager - Injection, Blow & Stretch Moulding

A high-volume plastics manufacturing operation is seeking an experienced Plant Factory Manager to take full operational accountability for a complex, unionised production facility. Reporting to the Operations Manager, this role requires a strong balance of technical plastics manufacturing expertise, people leadership, compliance governance, and commercial acumen.

• Full management of factory operations including production, maintenance, quality, safety, and people performance
• Drive OEE, yield, throughput, cost control, and production efficiency across injection, blow, and stretch blow moulding operations
• Lead and develop production, maintenance, and technical teams, including middle management and a workforce of 200+ employees
• Implement and sustain lean manufacturing, preventative maintenance, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Oversee production planning, Labour optimisation, staffing structures, and resource allocation
• Manage factory budgets, operational costs, and reporting to senior management
• Ensure compliance with SHEQ, HIRA, incident investigation, root cause analysis, and audit requirements
• Maintain compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and FSSC 22000
• Ensure adherence to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, BCEA, and related labour legislation
• Manage labour relations, including trade unions and disciplinary hearings
• Develop supplier relationships and manage quality and cost of materials, parts, and equipment

• Grade 12 with a Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing / Production Management, or Business Administration
• 10+ years' manufacturing management experience, including at least 5 years managing middle managers in a high-volume environment
• Proven experience managing large workforces (200+ employees)
• Experience within the plastics manufacturing industry (injection, blow and/or stretch blow moulding)
• Strong technical understanding of plastics processing, tooling, automated production, and mechanical performance
• Advanced computer literacy (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, reporting tools)
• Strong knowledge of budgeting, production planning, reporting, and financial analysis
• Sound understanding of South African labour and health & safety legislation
• Must be able to work independently and perform under pressure
• Willingness to complete a practical assessment on report interpretation and writing

• Strong leadership, decision-making, and communication skills
• High level of initiative, attention to detail, and integrity
• Data-driven, analytical, and results-focused
• Excellent planning, organising, and problem-solving ability
• Strong business and operational acumen

Please note only qualified candidates will be shortlisted & only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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