Production Manager

Outepai; Penang; On-site; MYR 420,000 - 720,000; Full time

Job summary

Outepai seeks an experienced Production Manager with a chemical manufacturing background to lead our Malaysia site through greenfield development, equipment selection, commissioning, trial production, and transition to volume manufacturing.

You will drive plant planning, safety, quality, cost, and delivery targets while building a local production organization aligned with our China-based technical teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Polymer Materials, Fine Chemicals, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of production or technical management in chemical/specialty/electronic chemicals.
• Greenfield (0-to-1) plant build experience leading new site from construction to scale manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead Malaysia greenfield plant project from site evaluation to trial production and ramp-up.
• Oversee capacity planning, BOMs, budgets, and project schedule with on-time delivery and quality.
• Drive EHS, GMP, and licensing compliance with local authorities and ISO standards.
• Develop and manage production, inventory, cost, quality, and OEE improvements.
• Coordinate with China teams for technology transfer and localization of processes.
• Build local production organization and mentor supervisors and engineers.
• Establish SOPs, batch records, and document control for traceability.
• Implement lean, Six Sigma, and digitalization (MES/DCS/SCADA) projects.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Process safety

Data-driven

ERP/MES familiarity

English proficiency

Education

Bachelors in Chemical Engineering

Master's degree / MBA or engineering management

Tools

ERP/MES systems

Job description

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and technically grounded Production Manager with a chemical manufacturing background and proven greenfield (0-to-1) plant build experience, to lead our Malaysia production site through the full journey from plant planning and construction, equipment selection and commissioning, and trial production, through to customer qualification and stable volume manufacturing. This role is pivotal to executing Malaysia manufacturing strategy, and once the plant is operational, to building up the production system to deliver on safety, quality, cost, and delivery targets.

The ideal candidate combines hands‑on knowledge of chemical synthesis and blending processes with the ability to personally drive plant construction, equipment selection and commissioning, and EHS and licensing compliance, while building a local production organization that works seamlessly with PhiChem’s China-based technical teams.

Key Responsibilities

Greenfield Plant Build (0 to 1)

• Serve as the core owner of the Malaysia greenfield plant project, driving the full scope from site evaluation and plant layout design, through technology package implementation, construction (including EPC contractor management), equipment selection and procurement, installation, commissioning, and trial production, completing capacity ramp‑up against defined milestones.
• Define capacity planning, equipment lists (BOM), capital budgets, and the project schedule (Gantt), monitor execution against plan, and ensure the project is delivered on time, on budget, and on quality.
• Lead engagement with local authorities and agencies to secure environmental assessment (EIA), factory and use approval (FMPA/DOSH), CIDB, MIDA incentives, fire safety, and hazardous chemical storage and licensing approvals, together with management system certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.
• Organize the complete acceptance process from equipment FAT/SAT, mechanical and electrical (M&E) handover, first charge and start‑up, through to customer audits and product qualification, and maintain a fully traceable project documentation and engineering dossier.

Production Operations & Process Management

• Establish and continuously improve the production management system, covering production planning and scheduling, materials and inventory, cost, quality, yield, and on‑time delivery (OTD), while driving ongoing improvement of OEE, losses, and unit manufacturing cost.
• Own the localization and scale‑up of chemical and electronic material production processes (synthesis, blending, purification, filtration, packaging and filling), leading technology transfer with China‑based technical teams, formulation and process localization, and transfer to volume manufacturing.
• Establish SOPs, batch records, and process parameter control systems, and ensure key electronic chemical requirements such as GMP and cleanroom controls, contamination control, and particle management are implemented on site.
• Drive lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and automation and digitalization (MES, DCS, SCADA) improvement projects, and manage root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to closure.
• Take responsibility for preventive maintenance (PM), spare parts, and tooling management to safeguard stable plant operation.

EHS & Quality Compliance

• Hold primary management accountability for site EHS: build systems for hazardous chemical lifecycle management (storage, handling, MSDS/SDS), process safety (HAZOP/LOPA), permit to work (PTW), fire safety and emergency response, occupational health, and waste disposal, in compliance with Malaysian JKKP/DOSH, DOE, and other applicable regulations and company safety standards.
• Establish and maintain the quality system, support customer audits and third‑party certification, and meet the stringent requirements of semiconductor customers on material consistency and traceability.
• Ensure that all production and construction activities comply with Malaysian laws and regulations, industry codes, and company policies and internal control requirements.

Team Building & Cross‑functional Collaboration

• Build and manage the production, process, equipment, EHS, and quality functions — including headcount planning, training, and performance management — implement the local employment strategy, and develop Malaysian supervisors and technical leaders.
• Collaborate closely with headquarters R&D, technical, procurement, engineering, logistics, and sales teams, channeling customer quality and delivery requirements in a timely manner and driving improvement actions to completion.
• Establish an accurate and timely production and project reporting system, presenting KPI performance, project milestones, business risks, and improvement plans to regional and headquarters leadership.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Polymer Materials, Fine Chemicals, or a related technical discipline. A Master’s degree (MBA/EMBA or engineering management) or professional certifications such as PMP or registered safety engineer are an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of production or technical management experience in the chemical, specialty chemicals, or electronic chemicals industry, including at least 5 years managing production teams at a commercial‑scale plant, at Plant Manager level or above.
• Greenfield (0-to-1) new plant experience is required — having fully led at least one new production site or major new line project covering plant construction, equipment installation and commissioning, trial production, and stable volume manufacturing — with the ability to clearly articulate project scale, capital investment, timeline, and the role personally played.
• Hands‑on experience in chemical synthesis or blending, purification, filtration, and filling and packaging processes and their scale‑up, with familiarity with reactor systems, distillation and purification systems, ultra‑pure water systems, cleanrooms, and automation systems (DCS/PLC/MES).
• Experience in wet process chemicals, photoresist and ancillary chemicals, epoxy molding compounds (EMC), or other semiconductor/display materials manufacturing is highly preferred. Experience in material qualification and customer audits serving FAB and OSAT customers is a plus.
• A track record of leading yield improvement, cost reduction, or lean / Six Sigma projects with quantifiable results (for example, capacity attainment, OEE, unit cost, and customer complaint reduction) is a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with EHS regulations and plant construction approval and licensing processes in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, with practical experience engaging local contractors, equipment suppliers, and government agencies, is a key advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Solid technical foundation in chemical engineering and process safety, combining both project engineering and production operations perspectives.
• Excellent project management, multi‑discipline coordination, and contractor and supplier management skills, able to drive critical milestones and close out uncertainties under conditions of incomplete information and limited resources.
• Good data sensitivity, cost awareness, and business acumen, with working familiarity of ERP/MES and other production information systems.
• Strong leadership and talent development ability, able to build a multicultural plant team and establish a sound safety and quality culture.
• Proficiency in English (business fluency required) to manage local employees and engage with authorities and suppliers. Mandarin Chinese is a significant advantage for seamless technical and management collaboration with headquarters. Bahasa Malaysia is beneficial for local employee engagement.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to perform under high‑intensity conditions, with willingness to be on site or travel during critical project phases.