General Manager – Converting at Boardroom Appointments

• Our client, a well-established organisation within the manufacturing industry and FMCG, is seeking an experienced General Manager – Converting to lead the safe, efficient and profitable operation of the Pretoria manufacturing site. This senior leadership role is suited to a commercially astute manufacturing professional with strong operational leadership experience and a proven track record of driving safety, quality, productivity, cost efficiency and continuous improvement.
• The successful candidate will provide strategic and operational leadership across the site, leading a multidisciplinary management team while ensuring strong performance, operational discipline, people development and compliance.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end manufacturing operation and ensure delivery against business objectives.
• Set and communicate clear strategic and operational objectives aligned with business strategy.
• Lead, coach and develop a multidisciplinary leadership team.
• Drive a culture of accountability, high performance, engagement and continuous improvement.
• Ensure production schedules are achieved through disciplined execution and effective operational control.
• Monitor operational performance and implement corrective actions where required.
• Drive compliance with the Operations Management System (OMS), including required routines, standards and reporting.
• Lead structured problem-solving and root cause analysis to address operational constraints and recurring issues.

Manufacturing Performance

• Drive improvements in production efficiency, OEE, productivity, quality and schedule adherence.
• Monitor production performance and ensure corrective actions are implemented when targets are not achieved.
• Promote quality at source and ensure products consistently meet customer and internal specifications.
• Drive initiatives to improve operational reliability, productivity and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead cost reduction and value improvement initiatives across the operation.

Financial & Cost Management

• Manage operational expenditure within approved budgets.
• Monitor and control manufacturing costs and operational variances.
• Manage Material Usage Variance (MUV), waste and utility efficiency.
• Identify and implement sustainable cost-saving opportunities.
• Participate in the development of annual operational and maintenance budgets.
• Ensure effective allocation and utilisation of resources.

People Development & Succession

• Develop and maintain succession plans for critical roles.
• Identify capability gaps and implement appropriate development plans.
• Support graduate, trainee and in-service development programmes.
• Build organisational capability to support long-term business sustainability.
• Coach and mentor leaders while driving accountability and performance.

Asset Management & Reliability

• Support and continuously improve the asset management strategy.
• Ensure operational and maintenance activities align with asset care plans.
• Drive reliability and equipment performance improvements.
• Work closely with Engineering to improve equipment availability and reliability.
• Identify and address asset-related risks and opportunities.
• Reduce unplanned downtime and improve overall equipment effectiveness.

CAPEX & Operational Improvement

• Identify capital investment and operational improvement opportunities.
• Develop and motivate capital requirements and business cases.
• Work with Engineering and Project Managers to deliver projects safely, on time and within budget.
• Ensure capital projects achieve intended business outcomes and ROI.
• Oversee operational readiness for commissioning and implementation activities.

SHEQ & Risk Management

• Lead and promote a culture where safety is the highest priority.
• Ensure compliance with legal, environmental, risk and corporate governance requirements.
• Ensure safe work procedures are maintained and consistently followed.
• Drive incident investigations and implementation of corrective actions.
• Promote continuous improvement in safety, environmental and quality performance.
• Maintain required permits, regulatory obligations and compliance standards.

Minimum Requirements

• Grade 12 / Matric.
• Relevant Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Management, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• BSc Mechanical Engineering, BSc Electrical Engineering.
• Postgraduate qualification in Business Management or Leadership advantageous.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a senior management role within a packaging, FMCG or continuous manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in manufacturing operations leadership.
• Proven Industrial Relations experience.
• Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven experience delivering operational excellence, transformation and business improvement initiatives.

Key Competencies

• Manufacturing Operations Management
• General Management
• Strategic Planning
• Financial & Budget Management
• Asset Management
• Operational Excellence
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma
• Project & Change Management
• Industrial Relations
• Supply Chain & Production Planning
• Performance Management
• Strong Safety Leadership
• People Development & Coaching
• Strategic Decision-Making
• Stakeholder Management
• Negotiation & Influencing
• Change Leadership
• Execution Excellence

Personal Attributes

• Strong business acumen and results orientation.
• High ethical standards and integrity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Resilient and adaptable in complex operational environments.
• Passion for quality and continuous improvement.
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills.
• Customer-focused mindset.
• Ability to operate effectively in a demanding plant environment.

Working Environment

• Predominantly plant-based manufacturing environment with office responsibilities.
• Regular exposure to operational areas requiring PPE.
• Frequent interaction with production, engineering and support functions.
• May be required to work extended hours in support of operational requirements.
• Participation in emergency response and incident management when required.