Plant Head - Edible Oils, Fats, Margarine or Refinery Operations

About the role

Career Directions Limited is recruiting a Plant Head for its edible oils, fats, margarine and refinery operations in Kiambu, Kenya. The role reports to Operations and leads a team of refinery managers, production managers, QA/QC, planning and lean leads. It covers crude oil refining, fractionation, oils, fats and margarine production, packaging, utilities and engineering, inventory management and continuous improvement, with accountability for food safety, quality, environmental compliance, cost and profitability.

Key responsibilities

• Lead DRT operations, manufacturing performance, profitability and EBITDA growth, and long-term capacity and investment strategy
• Optimize throughput, OEE, reliability and production plan adherence across refining, fractionation, packing and utilities
• Manage raw materials, WIP and finished goods inventory, working capital and stock accuracy
• Control manufacturing, labour, utilities, maintenance and logistics costs and improve yield and cost per tonne
• Improve refining efficiency, reduce oil losses and optimise chemical, steam and energy use
• Ensure food safety compliance, first-time-right production and lower complaints, rework and rejections
• Drive equipment reliability, preventive and predictive maintenance and plant uptime
• Lead Lean, TPM, Kaizen, OEE and waste-reduction initiatives
• Build high-performing teams, develop talent and succession pipelines, and promote a zero-harm health, safety and environment culture
• Lead strategic capital projects on time and within budget

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical or Food Process Engineering; Master's degree preferred
• Minimum 15 years in FMCG manufacturing and 10 years in edible oils, fats, margarine or refinery operations
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership position managing multiple manufacturing operations
• Highly desirable: Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, TPM Practitioner, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, ISO 22000/FSSC 22000

Required skills

• Edible oil refining, fractionation, hydrogenation, interesterification, margarine manufacturing and blending
• SAP ERP, S&OP, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Kaizen, OEE and continuous improvement
• Strategic thinking, business acumen, change leadership, stakeholder management and data-driven decision-making