Cluster Manufacturing Director

We are delighted to be supporting one of our clients as the seek to appoint a highly experienced
Cluster Manufacturing Director
to lead and optimize operations across
eight food manufacturing sites in Europe
. This pivotal role is responsible for driving operational excellence, ensuring compliance with the highest food safety standards, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

As a key member of the regional leadership team, you will oversee manufacturing performance, align strategy with business objectives, and build capabilities that support sustainable growth across multiple sites.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for
  eight manufacturing plants
  across Europe.
• Drive performance in
  safety, quality, productivity, cost efficiency, and sustainability
  .
• Develop and implement a unified manufacturing strategy to achieve cluster-level goals.
• Ensure compliance with
  food safety, regulatory, and quality standards
  across all sites.
• Lead, coach, and inspire plant managers and their teams, building a strong culture of accountability, engagement, and excellence.
• Identify and implement
  lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives
  to maximize efficiency and minimize waste.
• Partner with supply chain, engineering, procurement, and commercial teams to optimize end-to-end performance.
• Manage capital investments and major transformation projects across sites.
• Represent the cluster in global and regional forums, aligning local execution with corporate strategy.

About You

• Proven track record in senior manufacturing leadership within the
  food industry
  or other highly regulated sectors.
• Experience managing
  multiple sites
  or a complex cluster of operations across different countries.
• Strong knowledge of
  food safety standards, regulatory frameworks, and operational excellence methodologies
  (Lean, Six Sigma, TPM).
• Demonstrated success in
  change management and transformation
  at scale.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to influence, develop, and motivate diverse teams.
• Excellent communication skills, fluent in English (additional European languages a plus).
• Willingness to travel extensively across the region.