General Manager

What you’ll be doing

• Operational and production leadership
  • Assume full accountability for the day-to-day performance of the manufacturing operation.
  • Translate customer demand and forecasts into credible production, labour, material and capacity plans.
  • Ensure effective production scheduling, line balancing, workflow management and allocation of resources.
  • Drive output, productivity, quality, OTIF delivery and cost-per-unit performance.
  • Identify and resolve production bottlenecks, material shortages, equipment constraints and process inefficiencies.
  • Reduce scrap, rework, wire recuts, material wastage and avoidable overtime.
  • Ensure the integrity of BOMs, production data, job packs and related master data.
• Commercial and financial management
  • Take accountability for the profitability and financial sustainability of the business.
  • Manage budgets, forecasts, operating expenditure, gross margin and working-capital performance.
  • Analyse production and financial data and convert it into practical corrective action.
  • Identify opportunities for cost optimisation, operational growth and customer diversification.
  • Prepare and submit accurate monthly executive reports and rolling operational plans.
  • Present business performance, risks and recovery plans to executive management and the Board where required.
• People leadership and employee relations
  • Provide visible, fair and consistent leadership across the operation.
  • Rebuild trust between employees, supervisors and management through honest communication, follow-through and respectful engagement.
  • Lead effectively within a unionised environment and maintain constructive relationships with employee representatives and organised labour.
  • Address conflict and employee concerns diplomatically while maintaining appropriate standards, discipline and accountability.
  • Develop supervisors and managers, clarify responsibilities and establish measurable performance expectations.
  • Create a culture in which employees understand the production plan, customer expectations and their contribution to business performance.
• Technology and continuous improvement
  • Champion the effective use of ERP systems, production data, digital dashboards and management information.
  • Improve planning accuracy, production visibility, traceability and data-based decision-making.
  • Drive lean manufacturing, root-cause analysis, standardised work and continuous-improvement initiatives.
  • Evaluate appropriate automation, equipment and manufacturing technology that will improve quality, capacity and efficiency.
  • Ensure that system and production data—particularly SAP dates, BOMs, material status and order information—are accurate and actively managed.
• Quality, safety and governance
  • Maintain compliance with applicable quality, safety and environmental standards.
  • Ensure effective internal controls, audit readiness, risk management and statutory compliance.
  • Promote a zero-harm culture and ensure that operational pressure never compromises safety or product quality.
  • Maintain disciplined quality controls throughout the manufacturing and testing process.

This role will suit a commercially minded manufacturing leader who is equally comfortable reviewing a margin report, interrogating a production schedule, walking a manufacturing line, engaging a key customer and having a difficult but respectful conversation with employees or union representatives.

What you’ll need

• A relevant bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Production Management, Business Management or a related discipline would be highly advantageous.
• At least 10 years’ experience in manufacturing, with a minimum of five years in a senior operations, plant, factory or general-management position.
• Demonstrable understanding of production-line management, production planning, materials management, quality systems and supply-chain coordination.
• Proven responsibility for budgets, margins, costs, forecasts and operational performance.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems. SAP and Qliksense exposure would be advantageous.
• Experience using production data, dashboards and digital reporting tools to manage performance.
• Sound understanding of lean manufacturing, root-cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Experience leading employees in a unionised manufacturing environment.
• Willingness to be highly visible and actively involved on the production floor.

What is in it for you?

• Market-related monthly CTC of R80 000 - R100 000 (de