Trainee Plant Manager

Sammons Recruitment Ltd; Playden; On-site; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is looking for a motivated Trainee Plant Manager in Playden, UK. This position focuses on developing future Plant Managers through structured training and quality operational experience. Responsibilities include promoting safety, supporting production planning, and leading improvement initiatives. Candidates should have strong leadership and communication skills, with experience in operational settings. The role offers a competitive salary of £30,600 and opportunities for growth. Apply now to take a lead role in chemical plant management.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership, coaching, and communication abilities.
• Experience managing teams in an operational or chemical/manufacturing environment.
• Ability to motivate teams and meet business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Promote health, safety, and environmental culture.
• Maintain audit readiness across the plant.
• Support daily production planning and optimise plant utilisation.
• Monitor key operational performance indicators.
• Provide training and manage staffing levels.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Leadership abilities

Coaching and communication skills

Continuous improvement mindset

Team management in operational environment

Problem-solving under pressure

Influencing skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Manufacturing IT systems

Job description

Trainee Plant Manager

Our client is seeking a motivated and ambitious Trainee Plant Manager to join their team, with the aim of progressing into a full Plant Manager position within 18‑24 months. This role offers structured development, hands‑on operational experience, and the opportunity to support and influence the performance of a top‑tier COMAH site.

About the Role

The Trainee Plant Manager will work closely with production, logistics, engineering, technical and business process teams to support the safe, compliant, and efficient running of plant operations. You will contribute to daily production activities, develop team capability, and drive continuous improvement across safety, quality, cost, and environmental performance.

Location: Rye
Hours: Monday‑Friday, 08:00‑16:30
Salary: £30,600

Key Responsibilities

• Promote a positive health, safety and environmental culture while ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations, DSEAR, quality standards and site procedures.
• Maintain strong housekeeping standards and ensure audit readiness across the plant.
• Support daily production planning and help optimise plant utilisation to meet customer requirements.
• Work closely with shift teams to ensure safe, standardised, and efficient operation of plant, processes, and equipment.
• Monitor and manage key operational performance indicators including production rates, yields, efficiency, and downtime.
• Provide coaching, training, and competency assessments for production staff, identifying additional training needs and supporting team development.
• Manage staffing levels to ensure adequate coverage for safe operations, including holiday, sickness, and training cover.
• Ensure accurate completion of batch data and operational information within SAP.
• Support the identification and delivery of continuous improvement initiatives, including Lean and 5S activities, to reduce non‑value‑added time and enhance productivity.
• Assist with technical and engineering tasks, including design input, risk assessments, commissioning and snagging of new or reinstated equipment.
• Apply the Management of Change (MoC) process to control all equipment, procedural, and operational changes.
• Ensure correct management of site emissions, effluent discharge, VOC scrubbing systems, and environmental controls.
• Oversee consumption and stock control of consumables, reagents, chemicals, and PPE, ensuring valid COSHH assessments and adequate inventory.
• Support investigations into complaints, incidents, accidents, alarms or near misses, and assist in implementing corrective actions.
• Ensure non‑conforming materials are correctly controlled, accepted, rejected, or reworked in line with procedures.
• Review and control plant changeovers, cleaning, isolations and preparation prior to maintenance or customer campaign changes.
• Work collaboratively with logistics and business process teams to support efficient material handling, loading/unloading and operational flow.
• Ensure document control procedures are followed, keeping operational instructions, test methods, and SOPs up to date.
• Perform weekly site inspections and support plant care audits, reporting equipment defects and initiating corrective actions.
• Provide out‑of‑hours support for production queries when required.
• Support Site Incident Controller (SIC) during any Major Accident Hazard scenario.
• Assist the Production Manager as needed and act as deputyfor production-related duties during absence.

Essential Skills

• Strong leadership, coaching and communication abilities.
• Experience managing teams in an operational or chemical/manufacturing environment.
• Energetic approach to driving continuous improvement.
• Ability to motivate teams and meet business objectives.
• Strong focus on maintaining high quality standards.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office and manufacturing IT systems.
• Ability to work under pressure and solve problems in a structured way.
• Excellent influencing and communication skills at all levels.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally for knowledge sharing and best practice alignment.

If you are safety‑focused, driven, and ready to grow into a leadership role within chemical plant operations, apply with your CV.

If you know someone suitable for this role, share the word and through our referral scheme receive up to £250! for full details on all Permanent, Temporary and Contract career opportunities we are actively seeking candidates for. Recruiting on the basis of Talent, we are committed to supporting and promoting diversity in the workplace and consider all applications. Any salary advertised is for search purposes only. If you have not heard from us within 7 days you will have not been successful on this occasion, however, we would welcome your application for alternative vacancies