General Manager – Operations (FMCG /Glucose Plant)

CA Global; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

CA Global seeks a GM – Operations to lead technical operations in a large-scale production environment, driving safe, efficient, and cost-effective output across product lines. You will oversee plant operations, uptime, and continuous improvement with cross-functional teams.

The role requires 25+ years in wet milling, starch or related industries, 5–10 years in senior leadership, and a degree in Chemical Engineering or related field.

Qualifications

• 25+ years of technical and operational experience in wet milling, starch manufacturing, or food/chemical processing industries.
• 5–10 years in a senior leadership or plant head role.
• Proven track record in managing large-scale continuous process plants with high safety and quality standards.
• Strong analytical, leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Experience in automation, utilities optimization, and energy management is a plus.
• Proven leadership ability with skills in team management, change management, and driving operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of a large-scale processing facility, ensuring throughput, product quality, and efficiency.
• Ensure high uptime, performance improvement, and process optimization across production stages.
• Drive key operational metrics including equipment performance, resource consumption, and material utilization.
• Provide advanced technical guidance across core processing technologies and downstream conversion activities.
• Lead scale-up, optimization, and rollout of new processes or product lines with technical and quality teams.
• Strengthen asset reliability, preventive maintenance, and reduce downtime in collaboration with maintenance and engineering.
• Contribute to capital planning and execution for facility upgrades and capacity enhancements.
• Ensure adherence to quality, safety, and regulatory standards; champion safety culture and continual improvement.
• Lead, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary operations and technical team; support skills development and succession planning.
• Partner with supply chain, procurement, finance, and commercial stakeholders to align priorities and drive cost optimisation and sustainability initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Operational Excellence

Process Optimization

Data Analysis

Budgeting & Cost Control

Cross-functional Collaboration

Change Management

Automation & Utilities Optimization

Project Management

Education

Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering or related

Tools

Automation Systems

SCADA

Job description

Reference No. LB2558

Our client is seeking a GM – Operations to lead and manage all aspects of technical operations within a large‑scale production environment, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost‑effective output across all product lines. The role includes driving operational excellence, optimising process performance, maintaining quality standards, implementing continuous improvement initiatives, and providing leadership to cross‑functional teams.

Responsibilities

Plant Operations & Production

• Oversee day‑to‑day operations of the large‑scale processing facility, ensuring consistent throughput, product quality, and overall efficiency.
• Ensure high uptime, performance improvement, and process optimisation across all production stages.
• Drive key operational metrics, including equipment performance, resource consumption, and material utilisation.

Process & Technical Leadership

• Provide advanced technical guidance across core processing technologies and downstream conversion activities.
• Lead the scale‑up, optimisation, and commercial rollout of new processes or product lines in partnership with technical and quality teams.

Maintenance & Asset Management

• Work closely with maintenance and engineering functions to strengthen asset reliability, preventive maintenance practices, and reduce downtime.
• Contribute to capital planning and execution for facility upgrades, capacity enhancements, and efficiency initiatives.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to all relevant quality, safety, and regulatory standards applicable to the manufacturing environment.
• Champion a culture focused on safety, responsibility, and continual improvement throughout the technical organisation.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary team across operations, process, maintenance, and quality functions.
• Support skills development, structured training, and succession planning within the operational and technical teams.

Strategic & Cross‑Functional Support

• Partner with supply chain, procurement, technical, finance, and commercial stakeholders to align and execute operational priorities.
• Contribute to organisation‑wide initiatives related to cost optimisation, capacity enhancement, and sustainability objectives.

Requirements: Qualification and Skill

• Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, or related discipline
• 25+ years of technical and operational experience in wet milling, starch manufacturing, or food/chemical process industries, with at least 5–10 years in a senior leadership or plant head role.
• Proven track record in managing large‑scale continuous process plants with high safety and quality standards.
• Strong analytical, leadership, and decision‑making skills.
• Experience in automation, utilities optimisation, and energy management is a plus.
• Strong technical expertise in complex processing environments, including optimisation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
• Proven leadership ability, with skills in team management, change management, and driving operational excellence.
• Experience in budgeting, cost control, and managing projects within a production or manufacturing setting.