Plant Manager – Denby & Little Eaton

SC Johnson Professional Europe; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car

Medical insurance

Pension scheme (up to 6% employer)

Life assurance (4× salary)

28 days leave + bank holidays

On-site canteen

Job summary

SC Johnson Professional Europe is recruiting an experienced Plant Manager to lead manufacturing operations across the Denby and Little Eaton sites in the UK. You will drive safety, quality, service, cost and people performance while translating business priorities into operational excellence.

In this key leadership role, you will develop high-performing teams, shape site strategies, manage budgets and improve asset reliability.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading manufacturing operations in regulated or high-risk environments.
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, daily management, and continuous improvement.
• Experience managing budgets and driving cost reductions.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe and compliant operations across multiple sites in the UK.
• Drive performance across Safety, Quality, Service, Cost and People.
• Develop and empower high-performing teams and succession planning.
• Translate business priorities into site strategies and masterplans.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing Ops

Lean Manufacturing

Budget Mgmt

People Development

Job description

Joining the team at SC Johnson Professional® makes you part of a family company with a deep history in the professional market as a leading manufacturer of skincare, cleaning and hygiene products, and smart technologies. We provide solutions to Healthcare, Clean Industrial, Industrial, Office & Institutional, Hospitality & Travel, and Retail & Entertainment markets.

SC Johnson Professional® is a business unit within SC Johnson, a family-owned and led company and leading manufacturer of quality, trusted products since 1886.

Location: Denby & Little Eaton

Function: Supply Chain

Internal Job Title: Manager, Manufacturing Operations

• Competitive salary plus bonus
• Company Car
• Medical insurance
• Company pension scheme (up to 6% employer contributions)
• Life assurance (4× your salary)
• Free access to a healthcare platform offering nutritional advice, wellbeing support, and more
• Enhanced parental leave policy
• Free optical vouchers
• 28 days annual leave plus statutory bank holidays
• Employee benefits platform with discounts & wellbeing perks
• Access to employee assistance programmes
• Complimentary fresh fruit & hot drinks
• Subsidised on-site canteen
• Discounted products at our staff shop
• Free parking
• EV charging points at our Denby site (powered by our own renewable electricity!)
• Cycle-to-work scheme plus bicycle storage area
• “Save a Space” £200 monthly prize draw (earn a ticket every day you car share or don’t use a parking space!)
• And so much more!

About the Role

We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced and inspiring Plant Manager to lead our manufacturing operations across our Denby and Little Eaton sites.

In this key leadership role, you will be responsible for driving safe, efficient and reliable operations, delivering strong performance across Safety, Quality, Service, Cost and People.

Working closely with your site leadership team, you will translate business and supply chain priorities into operational excellence, while developing high-performing teams, strengthening site capabilities and shaping the long-term strategy for both sites.

This is an opportunity for a forward-thinking leader who is passionate about developing people, driving continuous improvement and building sustainable manufacturing performance.

Responsibilities:

• Lead safe and compliant operations, ensuring both sites meet UK health, safety and environmental legislation, quality standards and company requirements, while proactively managing risks and driving a strong safety culture.
• Provide strong site leadership, leading and aligning cross-functional teams across Operations, Maintenance, Safety, Quality, Engineering, HR, Planning and Logistics to deliver shared business objectives.
• Drive operational performance across Safety, Quality, Service, Cost, Reliability and People, establishing clear priorities, accountability and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Deliver manufacturing excellence, ensuring production plans are executed safely, efficiently and reliably, while proactively managing operational challenges and maintaining service levels.
• Develop and inspire high-performing teams, coaching and empowering leaders, building talent pipelines and strengthening employee engagement, capability and succession planning.
• Optimise maintenance and asset reliability, driving preventive maintenance, reducing downtime and improving equipment performance to support sustainable operational efficiency.
• Own plant financial performance, managing budgets, manufacturing costs, productivity and capital expenditure, while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and deliver sustainable cost improvements.
• Champion continuous improvement and long-term site development, embedding Lean principles, eliminating operational losses and shaping site masterplans and investment priorities to support future business needs.

Experience you’ll bring:

• Proven experience leading manufacturing operations within a regulated, process-based or comparably high-risk industrial environment, with accountability for safety, quality, service, cost and operational performance.
• Strong knowledge of maintenance and reliability systems, alongside practical experience implementing and sustaining Lean manufacturing, daily management routines, structured problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, driving productivity and delivering sustainable operational improvements, with the ability to translate business priorities into effective site strategies.

Behaviors you’ll need:

• Ability to lead, coach and develop high-performing teams, creating an inclusive, accountable and engaged workplace culture.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build relationships, influence across functions and lead effectively through change.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach, with the resilience to navigate challenges, make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement.

This role is eligible for domestic or international relocation

Inclusion & Diversity

We believe Inclusion and Diversity is more than a program. We embed inclusive practices in our day-to-day work, the way we relate to our colleagues, collaborate and make decisions.

We value the collective richness of the differences people bring to the organization, including style, personality, thoughts, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and disability – that enables all to bring their full contributions to the organization.

Better Together

At SC Johnson, we believe people achieve their best when they collaborate and work together in person. We value connection to strengthen teamwork, accelerate problem solving, and drive innovation.