Senior Plant Ops Director – Richards Bay (Relocation)

Placements24; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary with performance‑dr

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Generous annual leave

Professional development opportunities

Relocation assistance

Housing assistance

Access to advanced manufacturing tech

Global company exposure

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a senior Plant Operations Director to lead a state‑of‑the‑art facility in Richards Bay, KwaZulu‑Natal. You will direct all operations, drive safety excellence, and optimize production efficiency while balancing cost controls and environmental stewardship.

The role requires a chemical/ mechanical engineering background with at least 10 years in large‑scale plant management, and a track record of process optimization and team leadership in a chemical manufacturing setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
• Master's degree or MBA is a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day plant operations in Richards Bay to ensure efficient production and quality.
• Develop and implement strategic operational plans to enhance productivity and reduce costs.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental (HSE) regulations and company policies.
• Lead a diverse team of managers, engineers, supervisors, and staff focusing on high performance.
• Implement KPIs to monitor performance and identify optimization opportunities.
• Oversee maintenance and ensure equipment reliability with proactive maintenance strategies.
• Manage budgets and control expenditures while maintaining safety and quality.
• Collaborate with R&D, sales, and supply chain to meet market demands.
• Drive Lean/Six Sigma initiatives to improve processes and efficiency.
• Champion a strong safety culture and training across plant personnel.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

HSE compliance

Team management

Problem‑solving

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree or MBA (advantage)

Tools

ERP software

Industrial automation systems

Data analysis tools

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a senior Plant Operations Director to lead a state‑of‑the‑art facility in Richards Bay, KwaZulu‑Natal. You will direct all operations, drive safety excellence, and optimize production efficiency while balancing cost controls and environmental stewardship.

The role requires a chemical/ mechanical engineering background with at least 10 years in large‑scale plant management, and a track record of process optimization and team leadership in a chemical manufacturing setting.