Head of Production (m/f/d) – Honext x WEPA

PeopleX; Germany; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Real impact

Start-up spirit with industrialBacking

A product with purpose

Growth

International setting

Job summary

Honext x WEPA GmbH in Saxony seeks a Head of Production to lead a new circular fibreboard plant from build-up to steady operation. You will hire, train and manage the early production team and drive the ramp-up with a hands-on leadership style.

You’ll coordinate project management, engineering and suppliers, make critical safety and quality decisions, and establish lean processes and KPIs. English fluency and an engineering degree are essential; start-up experience and paper-industry know-how

Qualifications

• Several years of leadership experience in production, ideally as plant or production manager.
• Experience in driving projects and coordinating many stakeholders at once.
• Business fluent English, confident enough to negotiate.
• A degree in engineering (e.g. mechanical, process or production engineering) or a comparable qualification.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the production team from day one.
• Drive the build-up from ramp-up to stable series production.
• Coordinate the project management, engineering, technology suppliers, authorities and shareholders (Honext and WEPA).
• Make decisions on safety, environment, quality and operations, and stand behind them.
• Build lean processes, standards and KPIs for initial plant efficiency.
• Own the production budget, costs and performance, and drive improvements.
• Represent the plant in English with international partners.

Skills

Leadership

Project coordination

English fluency

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

What you can expect

About Honext x WEPA

Honext x WEPA GmbH is a new joint venture between two family businesses: Honext Material (Barcelona), a pioneer in circular building materials, and the WEPA Group (Arnsberg), one of Europe's leading hygiene paper producers with more than 4,500 employees at 15 sites.

Together we are building a new production plant in Kriebstein, Saxony, right next to WEPA's paper mill. There we turn fibres recovered from waste paper recycling into HONEXT® fibreboards: resin-free, lightweight, fire-retardant, acoustically strong and fully recyclable at end of life. The boards are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold and used in interior design, wall and ceiling cladding, acoustic panels and furniture.

The project is backed by the European Investment Bank. Now we need the person who turns it into a running plant.

Your mission

You build it. As Head of Production you are one of the first leaders in a start-up with the backing of two established industrial partners. You lead the plant from project phase to steady operation: you drive the build-up, coordinate everyone involved, make the calls and grow the team that will run Europe's next circular fibreboard plant.

This is not a role for administering what exists. It is for someone who wants to own the result, think like an entrepreneur and see their decisions turn into a working factory.

What you'll do

• Lead people: Hire, lead and develop the production team from day one. You set the tone for a culture of ownership, collaboration and high performance.
• Drive the build-up: Push the plant project forward with drive and pace, from ramp-up to stable series production, and turn plans into results.
• Coordinate the project: Act as the central link between project management, engineering, technology suppliers, authorities and both shareholders, Honext and WEPA.
• Make decisions: Take responsibility for critical decisions on safety, environment, quality and operations, and stand behind them.
• Build structures: Set up lean processes, standards and KPIs that make the plant efficient and competitive from the start.
• Own the numbers: Take responsibility for production budget, costs and performance, and improve them continuously.
• Represent the plant: Negotiate and communicate confidently in English with international partners, suppliers and the team in Barcelona.

What we expect from you

Must-haves

• Several years of leadership experience in production, ideally as plant or production manager, with a track record of leading and developing teams.
• Experience in driving projects and coordinating many stakeholders at once.
• Business fluent English, confident enough to negotiate.
• A degree in engineering (e.g. mechanical, process or production engineering, industrial engineering) or a comparable qualification.

Big pluses

• Experience in the paper industry, or in related fields such as pulp, board, wood-based panels or furniture.
• Start-up experience or experience building up a plant, line or organisation from scratch.

Who you are

• You want to build something and you identify with what you build: circular production, made in Saxony.
• You are driven, hands-on and want to carry responsibility.
• You think like an entrepreneur: you weigh costs, risks and opportunities and decide.
• You lead with clarity and stay calm and solution-oriented when things move fast.

What we offer you

• Real impact: Shape structures, processes and the team of a new plant from the very beginning.
• Start-up spirit with industrial backing: Short decision paths and high autonomy, combined with the expertise and resources of Honext and WEPA.
• A product with purpose: Help scale a circular material that turns paper industry residues into high-quality boards.
• Growth: A role that grows with the company, with room for professional and personal development.
• International setting: Close collaboration with teams in Germany and Spain.

Ready to build it with us? We look forward to your application.