The Plant Manager is accountable for the overall leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of all the chemical production facility at Kempton Park. This role drives operational excellence, safety culture, asset reliability, and cost efficiency, while ensuring alignment with business objectives. The incumbent provides strategic direction across production, maintenance, engineering, procurement, and inventory management, ensuring sustainable plant performance, regulatory compliance, and long-term asset integrity. The role carries full responsibility for financial performance, strategy execution, and organizational capability development.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Plant Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Lead and execute the plant’s operational strategy to achieve production, cost, quality, and safety targets
• Translate corporate and regional strategy into clear, executable plant-level plans and KPIs
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement (Lean, reliability, and cost optimisation)
• Ensure strong cross-functional alignment between operations, maintenance, supply chain, and finance
• Ensure optimal utilization of plant capacity, equipment, and workforce

Financial Leadership & Performance Management

• Own full plant financial performance, including operating costs, maintenance budgets, and inventory optimisation
• Develop and implement cost control strategies while maintaining safety, reliability, and production targets
• Lead capital planning and prioritise ROI-driven investments and asset improvement initiatives
• Track and report financial and operational KPIs, driving accountability and performance across teams
• Monitor and control production costs, waste, and energy consumption

Asset Reliability & Maintenance Strategy

• Oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance aligned with production priorities
• Support capital projects, plant upgrades, and process improvements
• Ensure integrity and lifecycle management of critical assets
• Monitor and improve KPIs such as MTBF, MTTR, and overall equipment effectiveness

Supply Chain, Procurement & Inventory Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight of engineering stores, spare parts optimisation, and procurement planning
• Align production planning with demand forecasts and inventory targets
• Balance working capital efficiency with operational risk through effective inventory management
• Ensure alignment between maintenance planning and material availability to avoid downtime
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with suppliers, contractors, and internal stakeholders
• Negotiate and manage supplier performance on cost, quality, and delivery
• Act as the key interface between plant operations and senior leadership, ensuring alignment and transparency

Production & Process Optimization

• Monitor and drive process efficiency, yield, and throughput
• Implement best practices in chemical manufacturing and process engineering
• Optimize raw material usage and reduce process variability
• Support innovation and new product/process implementation

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Build and lead a high-performing, multi-disciplinary team across operations, maintenance, and supply chain to achieve high performance
• Drives succession planning and leadership pipeline development for critical roles
• Conducts performance management, feedback, and career development planning
• Promotes employee engagement, inclusion, and a culture of continuous learning
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety ownership, and continuous improvement
• Develop talent pipelines, succession plans, and workforce capability to support future plant needs
• Lead and coach teams to deliver sustainable performance and operational excellence

Health, Safety, Environment & Compliance (HSE)

• Champions Solenis’ Safety-First culture, ensuring zero harm and compliance with all chemical industry regulations
• Embed safety and environmental considerations into all operational and maintenance activities
• Lead incident investigations and drive the implementation of preventive measures
• Ensure adherence to regulatory, environmental, and company standards
• Maintain ISO and other industry certifications where applicable

Communication & Collaboration

• Collaborate with corporate, regional, and global teams
• Engage with external stakeholders including regulators, suppliers, and auditors
• Provide regular operational reports and strategic insights to senior leadership
• Acts as the primary escalation point for operational and people-related issues
• Influences outcomes through communication, alignment, and stakeholder engagement

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)

• Plant uptime / Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

• Production output vs. plan

• Cost per ton / unit produced

• Maintenance KPIs (MTBF, MTTR)

• Inventory turns and working capital performance

• Regulatory compliance and audit results

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic leadership and business acumen with P&L ownership
• Strong operational excellence and reliability expertise
• Advanced procurement and supply chain capability
• People leadership and organizational development
• Health, safety, and risk management leadership
• ERP/CMMS and data-driven decision-making capability
• Strong communication and stakeholder influence
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration
• High attention to detail and commitment to safety

Travel Requirements

• Primarily site-based role
• Limited travel for supplier visits or multi-site support if required
• Occasional international travel for Plant Managers meeting

Work Environment

• Chemical plant environment with both office and field responsibilities
• Exposure to hazardous materials and strict safety protocols
• Exposure to machinery, tools, and maintenance activities
• May require after-hours support during shutdowns or urgent breakdowns
• Will be required to perform standby duties.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Chemical or Industrial), Supply Chain, or a related technical discipline
• MBA or postgraduate qualification advantageous
• 8–10 years in chemical or industrial manufacturing
• 5+ years management experience in chemical production plant
• Strong background in chemical plant operations, process safety, and regulatory compliance
• Proven experience managing plant performance, budgets, and cross-functional teams in a complex chemical production environment
• SAP/ERP system experience
• Professional certifications (ECSA, Lean Six Sigma, PMP) advantageous
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel)
• Strong capability in data analysis, reporting, and performance management tools