General Manager - Operations (FMCG /Glucose Plant)

Our client is seeking a GM – Operations to lead and manage all aspects of technical operations within a large-scale production environment, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective output across all product lines. The role includes driving operational excellence, optimising process performance, maintaining quality standards, implementing continuous improvement initiatives, and providing leadership to cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities:

Plant Operations & Production

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the large-scale processing facility, ensuring consistent throughput, product quality, and overall efficiency.
• Ensure high uptime, performance improvement, and process optimisation across all production stages.
• Drive key operational metrics, including equipment performance, resource consumption, and material utilisation.

Process & Technical Leadership

• Provide advanced technical guidance across core processing technologies and downstream conversion activities.
• Lead the scale-up, optimisation, and commercial rollout of new processes or product lines in partnership with technical and quality teams.

Maintenance & Asset Management

• Work closely with maintenance and engineering functions to strengthen asset reliability, preventive maintenance practices, and reduce downtime.
• Contribute to capital planning and execution for facility upgrades, capacity enhancements, and efficiency initiatives.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to all relevant quality, safety, and regulatory standards applicable to the manufacturing environment.
• Champion a culture focused on safety, responsibility, and continual improvement throughout the technical organisation.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary team across operations, process, maintenance, and quality functions.
• Support skills development, structured training, and succession planning within the operational and technical teams.

Strategic & Cross-Functional Support

• Partner with supply chain, procurement, technical, finance, and commercial stakeholders to align and execute operational priorities.
• Contribute to organisation-wide initiatives related to cost optimisation, capacity enhancement, and sustainability objectives.

Requirements: Qualification and Skill

• Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, or related discipline
• 25+ years of technical and operational experience in wet milling, starch manufacturing, or food/chemical process industries, with at least 5–10 years in a senior leadership or plant head role.
• Proven track record in managing large-scale continuous process plants with high safety and quality standards.
• Strong analytical, leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Experience in automation, utilities optimization, and energy management is a plus.
• Strong technical expertise in complex processing environments, including optimisation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
• Proven leadership ability, with skills in team management, change management, and driving operational excellence.
• Experience in budgeting, cost control, and managing projects within a production or manufacturing setting.

If you wish to apply for the position please send your CV to Lucia Baeza at [email protected]

Please visit www.mining-recruitment-jobs.com for more exciting opportunities.

Lucia Baeza

Executive Consultant

CA Mining

CA Mining will respond to short-listed candidates only. If you have not had any response in two weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful however your CV will be kept on our database for any other suitable positions.

CA Global Headhunters is an international staffing company with a specific focus on recruitment in Africa. Our extensive, diverse candidate network built up over 10 years comprises the most skilled and experienced candidates. We recruit talent of the highest standards across African sectors, including Mining, Oil & Gas, Engineering, Banking, Finance, Legal, Insurance, Commodities, and Agriculture. As African markets continue to grow and develop, so too does our skill and expertise, ensuring that we deliver the best service to both clients and candidates.

Thanks to our access to global networks and resources, we understand our clients’ cultures, operations, business strategies, and industries. We are always on par with the latest technologies and trends which assist us in sourcing the best talent for clients. Whatever stage of the project lifecycle, we can put forward the right candidates with the right skills.