Plant Manager (Solids Processing / Granulation)

Fempower Personnel; Sasolburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global chemical manufacturer in Free State is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to oversee a critical granulation production facility. The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background with a proven track record in process manufacturing environments. Responsibilities include managing operational budgets and leading safety initiatives to ensure production excellence.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years' experience in a process plant environment, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience in solids processing within fertilizers, chemicals, or pharmaceuticals.
• Demonstrable financial acumen with multi-million Rand budget management.

Responsibilities

• Manage a large-scale granulation plant, focusing on efficiency and safety.
• Lead a team of direct reports and personnel, ensuring performance against metrics.
• Drive safety culture and compliance with OHS Act standards.

Skills

Leadership

Process Engineering

Financial Acumen

Safety Management

Education

Degree in Chemical, Process, or Metallurgical Engineering

Job description

Overview

Our client, a global leader in the chemical manufacturing sector, is seeking a highly strategic and results-driven Plant Manager to lead a critical granulation production facility. This is a pivotal leadership role with significant financial and operational accountability. We are looking for a hands-on leader with a strong engineering foundation and a proven track record in complex process manufacturing environments.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemical, Process, or Metallurgical Engineering
• Minimum of 8-10 years' experience in a process plant environment, with at least 3 years in a leadership/management role
• Proven experience in solids processing (e.g., granulation, compaction, milling, pelleting) within fertilizers, chemicals, minerals, or pharmaceuticals
• Demonstrable financial acumen with experience managing multi-million Rand operational budgets
• A deep understanding of mass and energy balances and a data-driven approach to problem-solving
• A strong track record in leading safety culture and operational excellence initiatives

Responsibilities

• You will be responsible for the end-to-end management of a large-scale granulation plant, driving world-class manufacturing excellence, safety, and efficiency.
• Providing leadership to a large team of 4 direct reports and ~100+ personnel (including contractors)
• Owning the manufacturing performance against key metrics including production volume, yield, and quality
• Managing a substantial operational budget (OPEX + CAPEX) and optimising the consumption of raw materials
• Driving a proactive safety culture and ensuring full compliance with OHS Act standards
• Utilising your deep process engineering knowledge to analyse mass and energy balances, identifying and implementing continuous improvement projects
• Fostering strong cross-functional relationships with supply chain, procurement, and commercial teams