Production & Bottling Manager -Manufacturing

This role is critical to ensuring optimal performance, aligning production capabilities with market demands, and maintaining high standards in safety, quality, and efficiency.

Position Overview:

Our client is seeking a dynamic and results-driven leader to oversee a team of engineers, the maintenance department, and production support operations within a high-speed manufacturing environment. This pivotal role is responsible for ensuring peak production performance, aligning operational capabilities with market demand, and upholding the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in high-volume beverage manufacturing combined with the technical expertise and leadership skills to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and oversee the engineering and plant maintenance teams to ensure efficient and uninterrupted production operations.
• Implement and manage preventive and predictive maintenance programs to enhance plant reliability and reduce downtime.
• Monitor the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of monthly production cycles and support efforts to improve product profitability.
• Develop and implement strategic engineering plans to align manufacturing capacity with sales forecasts and customer demand.
• Establish and track KPIs for output, equipment efficiency, quality standards, and cost control.
• Coordinate plant upgrades, equipment installations, and capital projects from concept through execution.
• Ensure adherence to safety regulations, including HACCP, GMPs, and other industry compliance standards.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement across engineering, maintenance, and production functions.
• Liaise with cross-functional teams including production, quality assurance, procurement, and logistics to optimize operations.
• Prepare and manage departmental budgets, project timelines, and cost analyses.
• Develop engineering talent through mentorship, training, and performance management.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Manufacturing or Engineering.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Management, or Leadership.
• At least 8 years of progressive experience in an engineering leadership role within manufacturing, preferably in the FMCG sector.
• Proven success managing large-scale maintenance operations and complex engineering projects.
• In-depth knowledge of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and regulatory standards.
• Strong strategic planning, budgeting, and problem-solving skills.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or TPM.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement abilities.

Key Attributes:

• Results-driven with strong analytical skills
• Capable of balancing hands-on technical work with high-level strategy
• Effective in fast-paced, target-driven environments
• Committed to operational excellence and safety standards