Head of Production - OSD

Aspen Pharma Group; Gqeberha; On-site; ZAR 750 000 - 1 000 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company in Gqeberha is seeking a Production Operations Manager to oversee the entire production process. The role requires strong leadership to ensure production targets are met while adhering to safety and quality standards. Candidates should have at least 10 years of relevant experience, including management of a strategic production site. The position involves compliance with regulatory requirements and driving continuous improvements in operations.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years’ related experience with strong manufacturing experience.
• Experience managing a strategic production site in a pharmaceutical environment.
• Proven managerial experience at a senior level.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all production operations and ensure production targets are met.
• Ensure compliance with safety, health and environmental standards.
• Drive continuous improvement and quality assurance initiatives.

Skills

Pharmaceutical manufacturing insight

Leadership capability

People and departmental management

Quality standards understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

Overview

Oversee and take full accountability for end-to-end production operations, ensuring the achievement of production targets, OTIF delivery within cost budgets, and effective leadership across Production, QC, Production Planning, and Maintenance.

Responsibilities

Production management

• Manage, organise, control and supervise all aspects of the site in line with company policies and procedures.
• Ensure the timely supply of quality products to customers.
• Ensure that proper maintenance is carried out on equipment, utilities and manufacturing areas.

Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Leadership

• Overall accountability for SHE performance, including safety culture, incident prevention, legal compliance, and visible safety leadership.
• Drive safe systems of work and embed safety as a core production discipline.

Risk management and compliance

• Ensure that production documentation is GMP and legislation‑compliant, on time and reviewed prior to approval.
• Implement/ support risk‑based approaches for manufacturing operations and equipment.

Quality and continuous improvement

• Oversee the development and implementation of, and adherence to, SOPs in the department and ensure GMP compliance.
• Ensure that the areas of the department meet hygiene and cleanliness standards and that equipment/ process validations are performed.
• Ensure that products are produced and stored according to appropriate documentation to obtain required quality.
• Support QA/ QC in quality investigations and represent the department during inspections and audits, as and when required.

Inspection Readiness & Regulatory Interface

• Overall accountability for inspection readiness across all production areas.
• Act as a key site representative during SAHPRA, FDA, and customer inspections.
• Ensure timely closure and sustainability of production‑related CAPAs.

Operational Excellence & KPI Ownership

• Full ownership of operational KPIs including OPP, cost, yield, scrap, labour efficiency, and throughput.
• Drive regular performance reviews, loss analysis, and corrective actions.
• Take accountability for recovery plans where performance deviates from budget or operational plans Explore competitor activity, market trends and new initiatives.
• Motivate, train and develop department heads and their direct reports.
• Agree business plans and performance targets with department managers and monitor these, taking necessary corrective actions.

People Capability, Succession & Workforce Stability

• Build sustainable production teams through talent development, succession planning, and capability uplift.
• Manage industrial relations risks in collaboration with HR.
• Drive employee engagement, attendance, and accountability within production teams.

Organisational Support & Function Management

• Manage, organise, control and supervise the process of approved capital expenditure, ensuring financial, conceptual and phasing objectives are achieved in line with company policy.
• Participate in the development and lead the implementation of the strategic vision and direction for business‑critical functions across SA, as well as all related plans, policies and procedures.
• Perform financial and human resources functions to ensure optimal management of the function and reporting units and leaders.
• Manage collaboration and coordination between reporting units.
• Maintain/ support positive customer engagements and problem resolution.
• Manage the site within agreed budgets.

Digital, Data & Systems Leadership

• Leverage production data, MES, KPIs, and dashboards to drive data‑led decision‑making.
• Support digital initiatives that improve scheduling accuracy, OEE, and operational visibility.

Change Leadership & Transformation

• Lead teams through change, restructuring, and operating model transitions.
• Embed new ways of working, governance structures, and accountability post‑change.

Commercial & Customer Focus

• Understand commercial priorities and translate them into executable production plans.
• Manage customer commitments, supply continuity, and escalation where delivery is at risk.

Requirements

Background/experience

• 10 years’ related experience with strong manufacturing experience
• Managing a strategic production site (ideally in a pharmaceutical environment)
• Management of projects in an international context
• Proven leadership capability and managerial experience at a senior level
• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree, ideally in Engineering

Specific job skills

• In-depth insight into pharmaceutical manufacturing and pharmaceutical standards/ compliance
• Deep understanding of quality, operations and logistics
• People and departmental management

Competencies

• Translating Strategy
• Interpreting and Internalising Information
• Offering Insights
• Making Decisions
• Managing Performance
• Customer Awareness

Aspen fully subscribes to the principles of Employment Equity and will make decisions in line with this ethos.

Closing date: 30 December 2025