Regional Operations Manager at CHEP

Job Description
Key Responsibilities May Include:

• Ensure all operational activities within the region fully comply with health, safety, and quality standards, as well as operational procedures to drive regulatory adherence and risk mitigation.
• Drive customer satisfaction by ensuring plants consistently meet service and quality standards, and foster a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership and oversight to ensure plants have the appropriate resources and focus to consistently deliver on KPIs, meeting customer satisfaction and operational goals.
• Continuously improve operational performance in key areas such as health and safety, cost management, product quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainability.
• Analyze and track regional cost trends, identifying opportunities for cost efficiency and ensuring that financial performance aligns with budget targets.
• Lead and implement cost-saving initiatives by recommending, analyzing, and executing efficiency improvements across the region.
• Actively contribute to the development and execution of the regional supply chain strategy, working closely with cross-functional teams to drive operational consistency and improvement.
• Lead and mentor plant management teams, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, fostering a collaborative work environment, and supporting professional development.

Position Purpose

• Lead and manage regional operations to deliver safe, efficient, cost-effective, and customer-focused performance. Drive operational excellence across multiple plants, develop high-performing teams, and ensure the achievement of business, financial, and strategic objectives.

Key Accountabilities
Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute regional operational strategies aligned to business objectives.
• Contribute to the development of supply chain and operational strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement, productivity, and operational excellence initiatives.

 Team and People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Regional Operations and Plant Leadership teams to build a high-performance culture.
• Create an environment of accountability, engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Develop talent pipelines, succession plans, and workforce capabilities to meet current and future business needs.
• Drive performance management processes that enable clear objectives, regular feedback, and high levels of employee performance.
• Lead employee and industrial relations activities, maintaining constructive relationships with employees, unions, and employee representatives.
• Build empowered frontline teams with clear ownership for safety, quality, service, cost, and operational performance.

Safety, Risk & Compliance

• Champion a Zero Harm culture and ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
• Fulfil legal health and safety responsibilities, including statutory accountability.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, labour legislation, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain effective risk, security, and asset management controls.

Operations Management

• Lead the performance of multiple plants and service centres within the region.
• Strong focus on productivity improvements through engineering and maintenance best practise
• Ensure the efficient management of plant operations, maintenance, quality, and engineering.
• Ensure customer requirements are consistently met through reliable operational performance.
• Lead the implementation of operational excellence best practises through effective change management

Financial & Resource Management

• Develop and manage the regional operating budget.
• Control operational costs and manage budget variances.
• Ensure optimal availability and utilisation of hire equipment, raw materials, and assets.
• Evaluate and manage capital investment projects to support future growth and efficiency.

Industrial Relations

• Maintain constructive relationships with employees, trade unions, and employee representatives.
• Lead labour negotiations and manage industrial relations matters.
• Ensure discipline, grievance, and employee relations processes are fairly and consistently applied.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain effective supplier relationships.
• Ensure procurement practices support operational requirements and best practice standards.
• Engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve business objectives.

Customer Service Excellence

• Ensure operational performance consistently meets customer expectations.
• Drive improvements in service, quality, and responsiveness.
• Support the development of solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and operational performance.

Asset & Infrastructure Management

• Ensure effective maintenance and utilisation of plant equipment and facilities.
• Identify and support new facility and property development opportunities.
• Protect and optimise company assets across the region.

Key Requirements

• BSc/B Tech Engineering
• Production / Operations Management/Supply Chain
• Experience gained in large scale manufacturing/operational environment·      
• At least 5 years at senior management level leading teams·      
• Strong Commercial and financial acumen·      
• Experience in implementing world class manufacturing tools and techniques like Lean, TPM, Six Sigma

Skills and Knowledge

• People Management
• Computer literacy
• Operational
• Production
• Commercial
• Six Sigma
• LEAN
• Operational Metrics