Manufacturing Manager

Kerry Group plc; Johor Bahru; On-site; MYR 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A global food and nutrition company is seeking a Manufacturing Manager in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The role involves leading teams to ensure operational excellence, managing P&L, and driving key metrics. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree and extensive manufacturing experience in the food industry. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of food within a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years’ related manufacturing experience in Food or Pharma.
• 5 years’ managerial experience in food industry is desirable.
• Technical knowledge in Food Hygiene standards, HACCP.

Responsibilities

• Lead compliance with customer policies for operational excellence.
• Manage all operational aspects of contractual commitments.
• Drive performance against business objectives and customer satisfaction.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Customer service orientation

Business acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Food Science/Microbiology

Job description

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Requisition ID: 58893
Position Type: FT Permanent
Workplace Arrangement: #LI-Onsite

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

As the Manufacturing Manager at Kerry Plentong, you will be responsible for leading high-performing teams to consistently deliver customer excellence, meet contractual obligations, and drive key operational metrics. This role holds full P&L accountability and plays a critical part in shaping the strategic direction, performance, and development of the operations function.

Reporting to : Operations Director

Key responsibilities

• Lead and enforce compliance with customer policies, procedures, and contractual agreements to ensure operational alignment and service excellence.
• Own and manage all operational aspects of contractual commitments, ensuring customer expectations are met with realistic, practical deliverables.
• Monitor and drive performance against key metrics and service-level agreements (SLAs) to support business objectives and ensure continuous customer satisfaction.
• Develop and implement robust contingency and business recovery plans to ensure operational resilience and service continuity.
• Deliver accurate and timely reporting of operational performance and SLAs to executive leadership.
• Serve as the final escalation point for resolving high-impact operational issues swiftly and effectively.

Strategic & Financial Leadership:

• Hold full P&L responsibility with a focus on:
• Maximizing profitability and operational efficiency
• Managing cost of revenue
• Embedding strong cost control initiatives
• Translate business strategy into actionable operational plans to drive long-term growth and success.

People & Organizational Leadership:

• Provide visionary leadership and strategic direction to the Operations Management team, ensuring excellence in service delivery and performance.
• Design and implement an agile organization structure that supports business needs and enables scalability.
• Drive a strong performance management culture through clear goal-setting, development planning, and regular progress reviews.
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, training, and capability building to ensure the team is equipped to meet evolving business demands.
• Mentor and guide senior managers, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Create a high-performing, inclusive, and engaging workplace environment that supports talent development and retention.
  

Qualifications and skills

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Food Science / Microbiology
• Minimum 10 years’ related manufacturing experience – must have some background in Food or Pharma
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a managerial role - Food related Managerial is most desirable
• Technical knowledge in Food Hygiene standards, HACCP and AIB requirement
• Experience in food manufacturing industry with knowledge and experience in spray drying is a distinct advantage.
• Strong leadership with excellent communication skills
• Customer service orientated
• Analytical with good problem solving ability
• Ability to adapt to a changing and quick paced environment
• Good business acumen and commercial understanding
• Process and procedurally oriented
  

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non-Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a “starter kit,” investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.