Operations Manager - Manufacturing

Operations Manager - Manufacturing Location: Atlantis, Cape Town Salary: R80,000 - R85,000 CTC per month, depending on experience Employment type: Permanent The Opportunity A respected multi-site manufacturer is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to take senior operational responsibility at its Atlantis plant. This is not a reporting-only role. The successful candidate will be a key operational leader and trusted right-hand to the Plant Manager and CEO, with the credibility and capability to take charge of plant operations when senior leadership is unavailable. The role requires a commercially aware engineer who understands that operational success depends on production output, equipment reliability, quality, cost control, safety, people leadership and disciplined execution working together. Key Responsibilities Lead and coordinate daily manufacturing operations to achieve production, quality, delivery, cost and safety targets. Act as the operational lead for the plant in the absence of the Plant Manager. Drive plant performance through clear operating rhythms, production planning, KPI management and accountability. Partner with maintenance and engineering teams to improve equipment uptime, reliability and preventative-maintenance execution. Lead continuous-improvement initiatives focused on OEE, yield, waste reduction, productivity, cost control and process optimisation. Manage, coach and hold production and operational teams accountable for performance, standards and discipline. Ensure compliance with quality-management, health and safety, environmental and housekeeping standards. Investigate operational, quality and process deviations; lead root-cause analysis and corrective-action implementation. Work closely with supply chain, planning, quality, maintenance and senior management to resolve bottlenecks and protect customer service. Prepare and present accurate operational reports, performance trends, risks and improvement plans to senior leadership. Support plant budgets, resource planning, capital projects and operational decision-making. Minimum Requirements Degree or diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related manufacturing discipline. At least eight years' experience in a manufacturing environment, including meaningful operational or production-management responsibility. Proven experience leading teams in a high-output, quality-driven plant environment. Strong understanding of production planning, maintenance coordination, plant reliability and manufacturing performance management. Demonstrated experience with continuous-improvement tools and methods, including Lean, 5S, Kaizen, OEE, waste reduction and root-cause analysis. Working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems, health and safety requirements, and operational compliance. Strong financial and commercial awareness, including cost control, productivity and operational budget management. Excellent leadership, communication and decision-making ability. A practical, visible management style with the confidence to take ownership under pressure. Advantageous Experience Experience in continuous-process manufacturing, textiles, nonwovens, packaging, polymers, automotive components, FMCG or comparable industrial environments. Exposure to ERP or production-planning systems. Experience managing improvement projects, plant upgrades or capital expenditure initiatives. Mechanical-engineering exposure within a manufacturing operation. Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is a credible plant operator, not merely an engineer with management aspirations. They must be able to move comfortably between the factory floor, production meetings, maintenance discussions and senior-management decisions. This is a leadership role for someone who can protect standards, make sound decisions, develop people and take control of the plant when required.