Plant Director
Pubblicato il 04-08-2026 - Talent In Food in Reggio Emilia
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 production site.
Reporting directly 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 leadership assignment for a dynamic and resilient professional who is motivated by complex operational challenges and by the opportunity to build a high-performing organisation. The role offers significant visibility within the Group and excellent long-term career development opportunities.
The Role
The Plant Director will be responsible for strengthening operational discipline, driving sustainable performance improvements and building a consistent, high-performance culture across the site.
The successful candidate will combine strong food manufacturing expertise with outstanding people leadership, emotional intelligence and the ability to lead organisational transformation while remaining close to day-to-day operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Assume full accountability for the overall performance of the manufacturing site, ensuring excellence across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, Asset Reliability and Operational Efficiency .
- Lead Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and all site-based operational functions through clear objectives and effective cross-functional coordination.
- Develop and execute a structured site transformation plan aligned with the Group's operational and strategic priorities.
- Stabilise the organisation, strengthen management routines and establish clear accountability across all operational levels.
- Improve productivity, capacity utilisation, manufacturing efficiency, labour performance and cost competitiveness while reducing operational losses and waste.
- Promote a rigorous culture of Operational Excellence through Lean Manufacturing,
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), structured problem-solving and data-driven decision-making .
- Ensure the reliability, efficiency and continuous availability of production assets, utilities and site facilities to support uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
- Define, monitor and communicate site KPIs, ensuring performance transparency and promoting a results-driven culture across all functions.
- Ensure robust production planning and close alignment between Demand Planning, Production, Supply Chain and customer service requirements.
- Collaborate with Engineering on capital investment projects, new production lines, process improvements and manufacturing technologies.
- Contribute to the definition of capital investment plans, operating budgets and workforce planning to support future business growth.
- Guarantee full compliance with food safety, quality, environmental and occupational health & safety standards, promoting a proactive safety culture where people always come first.
- Lead, coach and develop managers and supervisors, fostering leadership capability, succession planning and continuous professional development.
- Build a culture of accountability, ownership, collaboration and continuous improvement throughout the organisation.
- Act as a trusted partner to the General Manager, providing clear operational leadership and contributing to both strategic and business decision-making.
Candidate Profile
- Extensive leadership experience in senior manufacturing roles within the Food Manufacturing or FMCG sectors.
- Proven success in leading large manufacturing operations and managing sizeable, seasonally variable workforces.
- Demonstrated experience in improving operational performance, increasing efficiency and driving organisational transformation within manufacturing environments.
- Strong technical understanding of manufacturing operations, production processes, maintenance, engineering, quality systems and supply chain.
- Solid experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, TPM and Continuous Improvement programmes in structured industrial environments.
- Strong financial acumen, including responsibility for manufacturing budgets, operational P&L; and capital investment projects.
- Thorough understanding of food safety, quality systems and regulatory compliance.
- Exceptional leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire, engage and develop teams through periods of change.
- High levels of resilience, energy and personal credibility, combined with a visible, hands-on leadership style.
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills within both local and international organisations.
- 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 important manufacturing site.
- The opportunity to lead a significant operational and cultural transformation.
- Direct exposure to senior international leadership.
- Excellent medium- and long-term career development opportunities within an international manufacturing group.
- Executive compensation package with a fixed annual salary in the range of €130,000–€140,000 , together with a company car and a comprehensive benefits package.
Location: Province of Reggio Emilia, Italy
According to Italian Laws 903/77 and 125/91, advertisements are addressed to both sexes and people of all ages and nationalities, in accordance with Legislative Decrees 215/03 e 216/03.
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