Director – Manufacturing Excellence
pladis Global
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Office
Location: Chiswick Park • United Kingdom
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Job Level
About the role
- Reporting into the VP of Manufacturing for the UK&I region.
- Assess existing practices and provide leadership to design, implement and embed best-in-class excellence programmes that drive enhanced performance across key operating metrics.
- Own and drive continuous improvement of KPI performance, implementing data‑driven actions and cross‑functional initiatives to meet or exceed benchmark targets.
- Define and implement a practical site classification system to assess excellence maturity.
- Create systematic pathways and levers for each site.
- Establish standards, targets, governance and periodic monitoring.
- Foster a performance and CI mindset.
- Support the design and implementation of systems and tools that enable digitalisation and efficiency.
- Lead on developing and implementing modern best‑practice methodologies.
- Design and deploy UK&I-wide excellence frameworks aligned with business strategy.
- Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of improvement projects.
Requirements
- Proven senior manufacturing leadership experience (e.g., multi-site or former Site General Manager).
- Demonstrated leadership, development and deployment of operational excellence and CI programmes across multiple sites.
- Extensive experience in food processing and packaging, as well as site and line design within large-scale FMCG.
- Experience operating within matrix organisations and influencing without direct authority.
- Lean/CI expertise with formal certification (Green Belt minimum; Black Belt advantageous).
- Strong track record in coaching, facilitation and change management.
- University degree in business, engineering or related field.
- Fluent in English; open, transparent and culturally savvy.
- Analytical, solutions-focused, resilient and able to deal with ambiguity.
Benefits
- Annual Car allowance, paid monthly (if eligible by grade)
- Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) – this is the business’s annual bonus scheme.
- Opportunity to self-enrol into Health Cash Plan
- Private medical Insurance (if eligible by grade)
- Stakeholder Pension Scheme
- Life Assurance Cover ~ upon enrolment to Stakeholder Pension Scheme
- 25 days + bank holidays
- Holiday Enhancement Scheme
- 1 Volunteering Day per year
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted gym membership – Carlisle and Chiswick only
- Discount and Cashback Scheme – make your everyday spending work hard for you on major high street brands, supermarkets and services
- Access to Employee Assistance Programme
- Financial Wellbeing Support
- Access to great training and development opportunities
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
operational excellencecontinuous improvementKPI performancesite classification systemdigitalisationbest-practice methodologiesimprovement projectsfood processingpackagingsite and line design
Soft Skills
leadershipcoachingfacilitationchange managementanalyticalsolutions-focusedresilientculturally savvyinfluencingcommunication
Certifications
Lean Green BeltLean Black Belt