Plant General Manager - Single Flagship Site

ZipRecruiter; Hatfield; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturing company in Hatfield is seeking a General Manager to oversee all aspects of plant operations. You will be responsible for driving operational excellence, leading a large team, ensuring profitability and safety, and fostering a strong company culture. The ideal candidate has a proven leadership record and a passion for continuous improvement. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of delivering results in a leadership role.
• Experience managing a large plant with over 1000 employees.
• Ability to think strategically and execute with strong business understanding.

Responsibilities

• Lead pork processing and packaging operations focusing on efficiency and quality.
• Build and develop a world-class team across manufacturing and maintenance.
• Prepare and manage the plant's budget to support profitability goals.
• Champion continuous improvement and optimize processes.

Skills

Operational Excellence

Leadership

Emotional Intelligence

Financial Acumen

Change Management

Communication

Job description

Job Description

Build your career. Challenge the process. Collaborate and engage. We call it the Clemens Way. Be a part of our team and see your ideas in action!

As the General Manager at Clemens Food Group’s Hatfield Main Facility, you will lead a diverse team across manufacturing and maintenance functions, aligning plant priorities with the company’s strategic growth objectives. You will be the senior leader responsible for overseeing all aspects of large plant operations. This includes driving performance improvements, enhancing profitability, and ensuring a safe, efficient, and positive work environment. You will be instrumental in building strong relationships with the local community, modeling and fostering the company culture, and holding teams accountable to the highest standards of quality, efficiency, and sustainability. If you are a proven leader with a passion for continuous improvement and a commitment to building strong teams, we invite you to join Clemens Food Group and make a significant impact on our dynamic, high-performance environment.

Who You Are

You’re a motivated leader who excels in plant management and embodies the following strengths:

• Proven track record of delivering results in a leadership role by fostering a culture of operational excellence.
• Oversaw a large plant, closer to 1 million square feet, and more than 1000 employees.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and execute with a strong understanding of business operations and financial acumen.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence, with the ability to lead with empathy and integrity while inspiring and motivating teams.
• A change agent with a track record of leading transformation and adapting in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to simplify complex ideas and tailor messages to diverse audiences.
• Hands-on leadership style with a commitment to both leading and rolling up sleeves to engage directly with team members.
• Strong Values and Integrity

What You’ll Do

• Drive Operational Excellence: Lead pork processing and packaging operations, focusing on efficiency, quality control, and safety. Ensure a culture of accountability for strict quality standards and maintain a sustainable operation.
• Team Development & Leadership: Build, coach, and develop a world-class team across manufacturing and maintenance. Ensure alignment with key performance indicators and CFG expectations.
• Financial Oversight: Prepare, manage, and monitor the plant’s budget, analyzing costs to identify efficiencies and support profitability goals.
• Continuous Improvement: Champion a culture of continuous improvement, collaborating with engineering to optimize processes and implement new technologies.

Application Note

Clemens Food Group is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search or staffing firms. All resumes submitted by search or staffing firms to any employee at Clemens Food Group via email, the Internet, or directly without a valid written search agreement for this role, and without having been asked to participate in this by Talent Acquisition, will be deemed the sole property of Clemens Food Group. No will be paid in the event the candidate is hired. Firms not authorized to submit candidates will not be eligible for any or ownership claim.

Also known as: Plant General Manager; Plant GM; Senior Plant Manager; Site Director; Site Leader; Head of Plant Operations; Factory General Manager; Complex General Manager (Protein); Complex Manager; Operations Director (Site); Director of Manufacturing (Site Leader); Works Manager; Mill Manager (single-site); Campus General Manager; Production Director (Site); Factory Manager.

Keywords: USDA regulated, HACCP, GFSI, SQF, BRC, food safety, RTE/ready-to-eat, further processing, harvest to RTE, pork, bacon, smokehouse, high-volume manufacturing, 3-shift/24-7, single-site flagship/campus, 5S, Kaizen, A3, PDCA, Lean/TPM/Six Sigma, tiered daily management/DMS, continuous improvement/CI roadmap, KPI scorecard, P&L ownership, material & labor variance, scrap reduction, budgeting & forecasting, CapEx