Plant Factory Manager - Injection, Blow & Stretch Moulding

A high-volume plastics manufacturing operation is seeking an experienced Plant Factory Manager to take full operational accountability for a complex, unionised production facility. Reporting to the Operations Manager, this role requires a strong balance of technical plastics manufacturing expertise, people leadership, compliance governance, and commercial acumen.

Key Responsibilities

• Full management of factory operations including production, maintenance, quality, safety, and people performance
• Drive OEE, yield, throughput, cost control, and production efficiency across injection, blow, and stretch blow moulding operations
• Lead and develop production, maintenance, and technical teams, including middle management and a workforce of 200+ employees
• Implement and sustain lean manufacturing, preventative maintenance, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Oversee production planning, labour optimisation, staffing structures, and resource allocation
• Manage factory budgets, operational costs, and reporting to senior management
• Ensure compliance with SHEQ, HIRA, incident investigation, root cause analysis, and audit requirements
• Maintain compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and FSSC 22000
• Ensure adherence to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, BCEA, and related labour legislation
• Manage labour relations, including trade unions and disciplinary hearings
• Develop supplier relationships and manage quality and cost of materials, parts, and equipment

Minimum Requirements

• Grade 12 with a Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing / Production Management, or Business Administration
• 10+ years' manufacturing management experience, including at least 5 years managing middle managers in a high-volume environment
• Proven experience managing large workforces (200+ employees)
• Experience within the plastics manufacturing industry (injection, blow and/or stretch blow moulding)
• Strong technical understanding of plastics processing, tooling, automated production, and mechanical performance
• Advanced computer literacy (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, reporting tools)
• Strong knowledge of budgeting, production planning, reporting, and financial analysis
• Sound understanding of South African labour and health & safety legislation
• Must be able to work independently and perform under pressure
• Willingness to complete a practical assessment on report interpretation and writing

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership, decision-making, and communication skills
• High level of initiative, attention to detail, and integrity
• Data-driven, analytical, and results-focused
• Excellent planning, organising, and problem-solving ability
• Strong business and operational acumen

Please note only qualified candidates will be shortlisted & only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

POPIA Act:

In line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), all personal information submitted in your application will be treated as confidential and used solely for recruitment purposes

By applying for this position, you consent to the processing and storing of your personal information for the purposes of assessing your suitability for employment

Should your application be unsuccessful, your personal information will be securely stored for a limited period and then destroyed in accordance with our data retention policy