Senior Production Manager (Operations)

Recruiter:

Greys Personnel

Job Ref:

DBN003226/Themb

Date posted:

Friday, July 18, 2025

Location:

iLembe - Mandeni, South Africa

SUMMARY:
A leading manufacturing company in the pulp and paper sector is looking for a highly experienced Production Manager to lead operations at their plant in KwaZulu-Natal. The successful candidate will oversee end-to-end production, resource optimization, and long-term performance planning while driving continuous improvement, compliance, and team development. This is a senior management role ideal for a strategic leader with strong operational insight and deep technical knowledge of paper manufacturing processes.

Location: KwaZulu-Natal (Tugela Region)
Salary: Market-related
Reporting to: General Manager
Job Grade: Grade 5 (Senior Management Level)
Industry: Paper & Pulp / Manufacturing

POSITION INFO:

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

Essential Qualifications:

BSc (Engineering) or BTech (Pulp & Paper) – Required
Management Development Programme (MDP) or equivalent – Advantageous
Computer Literacy (MS Office)

Experience:

8–10 years of experience in paper manufacturing or a similar heavy industrial environment
At least 5 years in a management/leadership role
Extensive experience in production operations management, including strategic planning, resource optimisation, and driving continuous improvement processes (e.g., TPM, PIP)
Strong understanding of paper machine operations, coating and finishing processes, and other technical areas like pulping, bleaching, steam/power generation, and water processing systems.
Proven track record of budget management, team leadership, and driving plant performance improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Operations & Strategic Planning

Define and implement Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in areas of Quality, Cost, Delivery, Environment, and People (QCDEP).
Plan and manage plant operations for optimal utilization of people, energy, and raw materials.
Execute and continuously improve short-term (budget) and long-term (5-year) development plans across machinery, processes, and workforce.
Lead and facilitate Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Continuous Improvement Programs (PIP).
Monitor and reduce planned downtime hours through performance tracking and analysis.
Support product development and respond to customer feedback.
Ensure compliance with legislation, ISO standards, and internal policies.

How to apply:

Follow the link to our job seekers’ page -

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