Plant Manager - Heavy Process Manufacturing (3566689) South Yorkshire, England
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PLANT MANAGER – HEAVY PROCESS MANUFACTURING
Plant Manager | Manufacturing Manager | Operations Manager | Engineering Leadership | Continuous Process Manufacturing
Ready for Your Next Step Beyond Production or Engineering Leadership?
Location, North Midlands - Commutable from East Midlands / South Yorkshire / South Cheshire
£75,000 - £85,000 + Bonus + Car Allowance + Executive Benefits
A Major Career Development Opportunity Within Heavy Industrial Manufacturing
This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious and technically credible operational leader to step into a highly visible Plant Manager role within a major heavy process manufacturing and industrial operations environment.
Our client operates a large-scale, energy‑intensive manufacturing operation supplying technically demanding products into critical industrial markets. The site is stable, commercially successful, operationally established, and well‑invested. This is not a turnaround or recovery situation.
Instead, the business is looking for an individual capable of helping take the operation to the next level through stronger operational leadership, manufacturing optimisation, leadership development, succession planning, continuous improvement, and enhanced accountability across the wider manufacturing structure.
The Opportunity
This role is ideally suited to an experienced:
* Head of Engineering
* Process Plant Operations Manager
who is now looking for the opportunity to step into a broader and more senior Plant Manager position within a heavy industrial manufacturing environment.
The business is specifically interested in individuals who combine:
* Strong technical understanding of heavy process manufacturing
* Experience within continuous process manufacturing or industrial manufacturing operations
* Leadership experience across production, engineering, maintenance, or operational teams
* Credibility within engineering‑led manufacturing environments
* Strong people leadership and coaching capability
* Ambition, drive, and readiness for the next major step in their career
This opportunity is particularly attractive for someone who has the capability and potential to progress further operationally but currently lacks the internal opportunity to take that next step.
The Environment
The business operates a large-scale heavy industrial manufacturing operation involving:
* Continuous and batch process manufacturing
* Thermal and high‑temperature processing environments
* Automated production systems and industrial plant equipment
* Bulk materials handling and processing
* High‑volume manufacturing operations
* Energy‑intensive industrial processes
* Complex maintenance and engineering activities
* High standards of safety, environmental, and quality compliance
* Unionised operational teams
The environment would suit candidates from backgrounds such as:
* Heavy process manufacturing
* Construction materials manufacturing
* Industrial minerals processing
* Cement, lime, aggregates, quarrying or related sectors
* Ceramics and building products manufacturing
* Metals, steel, glass, or industrial manufacturing
* Chemicals or industrial processing operations
* High-volume continuous process manufacturing
* Other technically demanding industrial manufacturing environments
What You Will Be Responsible For
You will play a key leadership role within a complex manufacturing operation, with responsibility for:
* Day‑to‑day plant leadership and operational performance
* Manufacturing output, production performance, and operational efficiency
* Health, safety, environmental, and quality standards
* Leadership and development of production and operational teams
* Driving operational consistency and accountability
* Continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and manufacturing optimisation
* Supporting succession planning and leadership capability development
* Working closely with engineering, maintenance, technical, and commercial teams
* Supporting capital investment and operational improvement projects
Importantly, this is a highly visible, site‑based operational leadership role.
The business is looking for a hands‑on Plant Manager who is comfortable being present within the manufacturing operation, engaging directly with teams, coaching supervisors and managers, and building a culture of ownership, accountability, and operational excellence.
What Success Looks Like
The operation itself is already fundamentally stable and performing well. The focus is therefore not on fixing a broken site, but on helping move the business forward through:
* Stronger operational leadership
* Greater team accountability and ownership
* Improved succession depth and leadership capability
* Continuous improvement and process optimisation
* Long‑term operational development and manufacturing excellence
Who We Are Looking For
Successful candidates are likely to demonstrate:
* Experience within heavy industrial manufacturing or process manufacturing operations
* Strong technical process and manufacturing understanding
* Leadership experience across production, manufacturing, engineering, or operational teams
* Experience working within highly regulated industrial manufacturing environments
* Strong communication and workforce engagement capability
* The ambition and motivation to progress further operationally
* The credibility to lead within a traditional industrial manufacturing environment
This role offers a genuine opportunity for long‑term development and progression within a major industrial manufacturing business.
Location
Candidates should either already be within reasonable commuting distance of the East Midlands / South Yorkshire / South Cheshire region or be willing to relocate for the opportunity.
Package
* £75,000 - £85,000 basic salary depending on experience
* Performance bonus
* Additional flexible benefits
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