Plant Manager (Pharmaceutical Manufacturing)

For a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing company: Plant Manager

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the overall operations of the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, ensuring efficient, safe and compliant operations across all departments.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership to approximately 130 employees working across three shifts, ensuring effective workforce planning, team development and performance management.
• Drive organizational and operational transformation, implementing improvements in processes, structures, systems and ways of working.
• Ensure full compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), regulatory requirements, internal quality standards and applicable pharmaceutical legislation.
• Establish and monitor key operational performance indicators (KPIs), including production efficiency, OEE, productivity, quality performance, waste and downtime.
• Develop and implement production plans, ensuring optimal utilization of resources, equipment and manufacturing capacity.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, Lean Manufacturing methodologies and operational excellence programs.
• Oversee engineering and maintenance activities, ensuring equipment reliability, preventive maintenance and minimal production interruptions.
• Work closely with QA and QC teams to ensure product quality, regulatory compliance and effective management of deviations, CAPAs and change controls.
• Manage operational budgets, cost optimization initiatives, capital expenditure (CAPEX) and resource allocation.
• Identify operational risks and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Foster a strong culture of accountability, collaboration, safety and continuous improvement across all manufacturing functions.
• Report directly to the General Management, providing regular updates on operational performance, challenges, investments and strategic initiatives.

Requirements

•  Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a related technical field. 
• Minimum 10–15 years of professional experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
• Significant experience in a senior manufacturing leadership position, such as Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Manufacturing Director or Senior Production Manager with broad operational responsibilities.
• Proven experience in managing multiple manufacturing functions, ideally including Production, Packaging, QA, QC, Engineering and Maintenance.
• Strong background in pharmaceutical manufacturing and in-depth knowledge of GMP requirements and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated experience in leading organizational or operational transformation initiatives, particularly within manufacturing facilities undergoing significant changes, restructuring, expansion or modernization.
• Proven ability to manage large teams and complex manufacturing operations, preferably in a multi-shift production environment.
• Strong knowledge of operational excellence, Lean Manufacturing, process optimization and performance management methodologies.
• Experience in budget management, CAPEX projects, production planning and resource optimization.
• Excellent leadership, decision-making, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Fluency in English.

Benefits

• Annual Gross Compensation: Base Salary €75.000 - €90.000.
• Career development and growth opportunities.