General Manager

MS‑SEARCH; France; Remote; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Job summary

MS-SEARCH is assisting an international heavy industry manufacturer in France to recruit a General Manager for its on-site plant, with 300-400 staff.

The GM provides leadership for production, safety, environmental performance, and financial stewardship, setting strategies, targets, and responsible for capital projects. The role demands strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration across operations, safety, and maintenance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering is required.
• 15+ years in senior production roles, ideally in heavy industry.
• Proven project management and leadership skills.
• Fluent in French and operational in English.
• Willingness to relocate near the site or be onsite during the week.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement site strategies for production and safety.
• Achieve financial targets and control costs.
• Oversee large capital projects within budget.
• Set and meet safety and environmental targets.
• Foster effective people management and engagement.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Strategic planning

Communication

Negotiation

People management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree (desirable)

Job description

The MS-search agency performs headhunting missions of managers, senior executives and other key players for the benefit of French and International groups.

Our client is an international manufacturer within the heavy industry. For their French site (300-400 people), we are looking for their new General Manager.

POSITION

The General Manager (GM) provides leadership and direction for the site, ensuring efficient production, cost-effectiveness, and continuous improvement in safety and environmental performance. The GM develops and executes strategies, sets targets, and ensures systems are in place to minimize risks related to people, downtime, and asset damage.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement operational strategies for the site.
• Achieve financial targets and ensure effective cost control.
• Oversee the successful execution of significant capital projects within budget.
• Set and meet safety and environmental targets.
• Foster effective people management and improve employee engagement.

Essential Functions

• - Health, Safety & Environment: Lead initiatives promoting zero harm, integrating health, safety, and environmental goals into site operations.
• - Production: Develop and monitor production strategies and KPIs, ensuring alignment with business needs.
• - Asset Management: Collaborate with asset managers to improve reliability and align maintenance with production priorities.
• - Financial Management: Oversee financial planning, forecasting, cost control, and variance analysis.
• - People Management: Support HR in leadership development, succession planning, and performance feedback processes.

France, on-site.

PROFILE

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering is required, Master’s degree is desirable.
• 15+ years in senior production roles, ideally in a heavy industry.
• Proven project management and leadership skills.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and influencing abilities.
• Experience in leading and motivating teams, fostering accountability and collaboration.
• Fluent in French and operational in English.
• Ideally open to move near to the site (location given later in the process), or being there during the week.