President

Kennedy Fox Associates; United States; On-site; USD 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

A Senior Business Leader is sought to run the global manufacturing business for a leading rigid plastics and packaging group. The role carries full P&L responsibility, driving revenue growth, profitability and operational performance across international markets.

You will translate strategy into actionable plans, lead an entrepreneurial, hands-on leadership team and ensure strong alignment between commercial ambition and manufacturing capability. Location: United States.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience with full P&L responsibility.
• Experience running or leading a global or international manufacturing business.
• A track record of growing revenue and improving margins.
• Strong strategic planning, execution and people leadership.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the global business and P&L, balancing revenue, profitability and operational performance.
• Lead the business across multiple international markets, aligning regional teams with the global strategy.
• Translate corporate strategy into clear, measurable execution plans.
• Drive organic growth across existing customers, new accounts, and geographies.
• Develop and strengthen strategic relationships with multinational customers and partners.
• Build a high-performing international organisation capable of supporting significant growth.
• Collaborate across manufacturing, operations, supply chain, sales, and finance to improve performance.
• Shaping the next phase of global growth and development.

Skills

Global P&L leadership

Commercial growth leadership

Operations leadership

Strategic planning

People leadership

Job description

Rigid Plastics & Packaging Manufacturing | Executive Leadership

An established and innovative international packaging manufacturer is seeking an experienced Senior Business Leader to run and lead its global business.

This is a broad executive leadership position with responsibility for global P&L, commercial growth, operations and organisational development. The successful individual will lead the execution of an established strategy, drive continued international growth and ensure strong alignment between commercial and operational performance.

This is not a purely commercial or operational position. We are looking for a well-rounded business leader with full P&L responsibility who understands how to run and scale an international manufacturing business, develop customers, lead operations and build high-performing teams.

The position would particularly suit someone currently operating as a President, VP & General Manager, General Manager, Business Unit President or Division President within rigid plastics, packaging or a related manufacturing environment.

Job Description

The successful candidate will take responsibility for the leadership, performance and continued development of the global business, working closely with the existing executive leadership team.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Take ownership of the global business and P&L, balancing revenue growth, profitability and operational performance.
• Lead the business across multiple international markets, ensuring alignment between regional teams and the overall global strategy.
• Translate an established corporate strategy into clear, measurable and commercially successful execution plans.
• Lead both the commercial and operational sides of the organisation, ensuring strong alignment between customer requirements and manufacturing capabilities.
• Drive continued organic growth across existing customers, new accounts, markets and geographies.
• Develop and strengthen strategic relationships with major multinational customers and partners.
• Lead, develop and build a high-performing international organisation capable of supporting significant future growth.
• Work across manufacturing, operations, supply chain, sales, finance and other functions to improve overall business performance.
• Ensure the appropriate organisational structures, processes and accountability are in place to successfully scale the business.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on leadership presence across manufacturing operations, customers and international teams.
• Identify and execute opportunities to improve commercial effectiveness, operational performance, margins and profitability.
• Lead the successful commercialisation and international development of new products and technologies within the company's existing pipeline.
• Develop capable leadership teams and create an increasingly self-sufficient organisation as the business grows.
• Ensure best practices and consistent standards are implemented across international operations.
• Work closely with the existing executive leadership during an initial period of immersion to fully understand the company's products, technology, customers, operations, culture and long-term strategy.
• Play a central role in shaping and delivering the company's next phase of global growth and development.

Skills & Experience

The successful candidate should bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience within rigid plastics, packaging manufacturing or a closely related manufacturing sector.
• Experience successfully running a global or international business, business unit, division or region with meaningful P&L responsibility.
• A proven combination of commercial and operational leadership.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and the ability to work effectively with plant and operational leadership teams.
• Experience operating across multiple international markets, cultures and geographies.
• A strong track record of developing and executing B2B commercial growth strategies.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with major multinational customers.
• Experience within consumer, personal care, beauty, home care, household products, healthcare or FMCG markets would be advantageous.
• Exposure to rigid plastics, injection moulding, blow moulding, closures or other high-volume manufactured packaging would be particularly relevant.
• Demonstrable experience executing growth strategies and scaling businesses, rather than operating solely within a corporate strategy function.
• Experience building organisations, developing leadership teams and implementing processes and structures to support growth.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with a clear understanding of P&L management, margins, pricing, manufacturing economics and profitability.
• Experience balancing commercial growth with manufacturing capacity, operational performance and customer requirements.
• Comfortable operating within a smaller, entrepreneurial and fast-moving organisation, where senior leaders remain close to customers, people and operations.
• An energetic, pragmatic and hands-on leadership style.
• Ability to think strategically while remaining highly focused on execution and delivery.
• Strong communication and influencing skills across manufacturing, commercial, customer and executive stakeholders.
• A genuine desire to make a long-term commitment and play a meaningful role in building and developing an international organisation.

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced packaging or rigid-plastics executive seeking greater autonomy, influence and ownership than may be possible within a large corporate environment.

The organisation has an established strategy, innovative product portfolio, international presence and significant growth ambitions. It now requires a leader capable of turning those ambitions into execution, developing the organisation, growing the business and ensuring commercial and operational performance evolve together.

The successful individual will be someone who enjoys building rather than simply maintaining: commercially driven, operationally credible, entrepreneurial and comfortable remaining close to customers, manufacturing and their teams.

This represents an opportunity to take genuine responsibility for a global manufacturing business and play a central role in its next stage of international growth.

Location: United States

Remit: Global

Sector: Rigid Plastics / Packaging Manufacturing

Level: Senior Business Leadership / President / VP & GM equivalent