Plant Director: Lead Safety, Growth & Lean Excellence

IPL Schoeller; France; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

IPL Schoeller, formed by the merger of IPL Plastics and Schoeller Allibert, seeks a Plant Director to lead a large manufacturing site in France, delivering safe, efficient, and profitable production of packaging products.

You will drive continuous improvement, manage budgets and teams, and foster a culture of safety and environmental responsibility while aligning with the company values.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' manufacturing leadership experience, including at least 3 years in a senior operations role.
• Experience in plastics packaging, injection molding, or a similar manufacturing environment.
• Proven success managing plant operations, budgets, safety, quality, and people.
• Hands-on leader with strong communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations, delivering safety, quality, productivity, and financial targets.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimise performance and reduce costs.
• Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Oversee maintenance programmes to maximise equipment reliability and plant efficiency.
• Lead change management and employee engagement initiatives across the site.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Project Management

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Shop Floor Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

Who We Are

On July 1, 2025, IPL Plastics merged with Schoeller Allibert to form IPL Schoeller (the ‘company’). The Company’s operations are split across North America (11 manufacturing plants) and Europe (16 manufacturing plants).

The company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. IPL Schoeller is a leading manufacturer of sustainable rigid packaging solutions across a range of end market segments including returnable transit packaging, consumer and industrial packaging, environmental containers and agricultural packaging. The company employs c.4,100 employees across North America (1,600 employees) and Europe (2,500 employees.)

The Role

As Plant Director, you will lead the overall operational and financial performance of the plant, ensuring the safe, efficient, and profitable production of high-quality packaging products. You will drive operational excellence, continuous improvement, employee engagement, and the site's growth agenda while building a culture aligned with IPL Schoeller's values.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations, delivering safety, quality, productivity, and financial targets.

• Champion a culture of safety, compliance, and environmental sustainability.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimise performance and reduce costs.

• Manage plant budgets, capital expenditure, and operational costs.

• Develop and coach high-performing teams, supporting succession planning and employee development.

• Oversee maintenance programmes to maximise equipment reliability and plant efficiency.

• Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.

• Use data and performance metrics to identify improvement opportunities and drive results.

• Support procurement and supply chain initiatives to achieve cost and service objectives.

• Lead change management and employee engagement initiatives across the site.

About you

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.

• 10+ years' manufacturing leadership experience, including at least 3 years in a senior operations role.

• Experience within plastics packaging, injection moulding, or a similar manufacturing environment.

• Proven success managing plant operations, budgets, safety, quality, and people.

• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Project Management qualifications are advantageous.

• A hands-on leader who is highly visible on the shop floor, actively engages with teams, and drives improvements through direct involvement in day-to-day operations

Key Competencies

• Operational Strategy & Execution

• Manufacturing & Production Management

• Safety, Compliance & Regulatory Leadership

• Financial & Budgetary Control

• Continuous Improvement & Lean Manufacturing

• Project & Programme Management

• Strategic Agility

• Building High-Performing Teams

• Communication & Influencing

• Change Leadership

• Problem Solving & Decision Making

If you are a results-driven manufacturing leader with a passion for operational excellence, people development, and business growth, we'd love to hear from you.

If you have the above experience and are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, apply today to find out more!