Director, Plant Leader - Europlant

SC Johnson; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SC Johnson is seeking a Plant Director for Europlant in the Netherlands to drive safety, quality, and operational excellence across a multi-functional site. You will lead a cross-functional team, govern complex processes, and manage resources to meet production targets while embedding a culture of continuous improvement and compliance with environmental standards.

The role requires a Master’s degree with 10+ years in manufacturing leadership, preferably in FMCG, and the ability to navigate

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemistry, Operations Management, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment; FMCG experience preferred.
• Strong business acumen and strategic thinking, with experience leading within complex matrix organizations.
• Proven ability to lead, influence, and motivate cross-functional teams in a dynamic environment.
• Strong project and change management skills, with the ability to deliver results and drive performance improvements.

Responsibilities

• Act as the accountable site leader for all legal entities operating on-site and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Lead manufacturing to deliver best-in-class performance in safety, quality, cost, and productivity.
• Optimize manufacturing assets and resources to maximize efficiency and profitability.
• Embed Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and continuous improvement across the site.
• Develop leadership and organizational capability across functions and partners.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Operations Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Change Management

Cross-functional Leadership

Project Management

Education

Master’s degree in Engineering or related field

MBA preferred

Job description

SC Johnson has been leading with purpose for 140 years, building high-quality products and iconic brands found in homes, schools and businesses in virtually every country worldwide – including OFF!®, Raid®, Glade®, Windex®, Scrubbing Bubbles®, Ziploc®, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day®, method®, Autan®, Baygon®, Mr Muscle®, Duck®, Lysoform® and more.

The 13,000 people of our global, fifth-generation family company are committed to making the world a better place today and for future generations.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Plant Director, you are responsible for ensuring that Europlant meets its production goals, quality standards, safety regulations, and budget constraints. You lead and coordinate the activities of multiple functions to ensure resources are allocated effectively and business objectives are achieved. You will develop and implement operational strategies and policies for Europlant, setting and monitoring key performance indicators and operational metrics, analyzing and optimizing production processes and workflows, managing and resolving operational issues and risks, hiring, training, motivating, and evaluating plant staff, ensuring compliance with environmental, health, and safety standards and regulations, implementing and maintaining quality management systems and certifications, collaborating and negotiating with the Works Council, as well as reporting and presenting operational results and recommendations to senior management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Site Leadership, Governance & Compliance

• Act as the accountable site leader for all legal entities operating on-site, ensuring compliance with legal, environmental, health, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain the site’s license to operate, including all permits, environmental obligations, and SHE standards.
• Foster and maintain effective relationships with employee representative bodies, including the Works Council, and effectively manage matters relating to the legal entity.
• Drive a strong Safety and Quality culture and ensure compliance with all company policies, standards, and regulatory requirements.

2. Manufacturing & Operational Excellence

• Lead the manufacturing organization to deliver best-in-class performance in safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, and employee engagement.
• Ensure achievement of production, service, quality, and financial targets through effective operational management and resource utilization.
• Monitor performance, identify risks and opportunities, and implement corrective actions to deliver sustainable results.
• Foster a culture of Lean Manufacturing, Zero Loss, and World Class Manufacturing (TPM) principles across the site.
• Successfully lead within a matrixed and centralized organization, ensuring effective collaboration and alignment across regional, global, and functional teams.

3. Financial & Resource Management

• Optimize the utilization of manufacturing assets, raw materials, packaging components, and operational resources to maximize efficiency and profitability.
• Manage manufacturing operating expenses and capital investments to achieve financial objectives and support long-term site development.
• Ensure effective resource allocation to support operational priorities and business growth.

4. Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Ensure industry best practices, Standard Daily Work methodologies, and operational excellence principles are embedded throughout the organization.

• Provide the leadership and resources required for the successful introduction of new products, technologies, and processes.

• Lead significant operational and organizational transformation initiatives, driving continuous improvement and building capabilities to enhance performance and support future growth.

5. People Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, develop, and coach a high-performing cross-functional leadership team across Operations, SHE, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and other critical business functions.
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Develop organizational capability through talent management, succession planning, coaching, performance management, and leadership development.
• Build strong partnerships across regional and global functions and successfully influence stakeholders within a matrix environment to achieve business objectives.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemistry, Operations Management, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment; FMCG experience preferred.
• Strong business acumen and strategic thinking, with experience leading within complex matrix organizations.
• Proven ability to lead, influence, and motivate cross-functional teams in a dynamic environment.
• Strong project and change management skills, with the ability to deliver results, drive performance improvements, and successfully implement business initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale operational, organizational, and cultural transformation within a manufacturing environment.
• Outstanding business and operational leadership capabilities, including continuous improvement expertise and a track record of enhancing productivity, reliability, and organizational performance.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE

• Knowledge of the Seveso legislation and directive
• Knowledge of the (content) the Major Accident Prevention Policy (PBZO) document

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Full time job
• Based in Mijdrecht, Netherlands.
• On-site role (remote work not available).
• Ability to travel occasionally as required.
• This role is open to domestic relocation

Inclusion & Diversity

We’re a global business, with people from every culture, ethnicity, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and ability. We recognize the breadth of human experience, and we work to celebrate it. It is our goal to build a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment where all people can thrive.

We’re committed to ongoing efforts that help us attract, hire, and retain diverse talent who want to build a positive, inclusive environment. Read more about our ongoing initiatives at https://jobs.scjohnson.com/inclusion.