Site Director, Midrand Plant

Site Director, Midrand Plant

Midrand, South Africa

As our successful Site Director for the Midrand Plant, Taste, Texture and Health, you will lead the seamless orchestration of all site operations to deliver exceptional customer experience. You will be accountable for the safe, compliant, and cost-effective performance of the manufacturing technologies and key functions including Safety, Health and Environment.

You will ensure a strong commitment to a zero-incident SHE culture through behavioral and occupational leadership.

In this role you will be required to drive transformational changes in process improvement and culture, with a focus on strategic planning and change implementation.

You will serve as a key liaison with local regulatory authorities and internal stakeholders, ensuring compliance and operational excellence. Additionally, you will manage expense budgets in line with corporate guidelines, maintaining financial discipline while supporting business objectives.

Your key responsibilities:

Lead the future-proof journey to transform the site with high reliable operations and consistent results.
Manage and control the plant operation (Planning, Operations, Internal Logistics & Shipping, Maintenance, Sampling) with full responsibility to achieve short and medium term financial and operating objectives set by business management
Build, motivate and lead the plant community in line with dsm-firmenich core values
Ensuring the highest priority to safety and to the protection of the health of our employees, our customers and the public well as to the protection of the Environment
Identify, define and lead initiatives that will drive significant improvements in customer satisfaction and cost savings
Ensure company strategy and values are cascaded within workforce to foster an environment where all employees are motivated and committed to give their best
Identify and propose capital investment to improve HS&E, Quality and efficiency of plant
Identify and drive the fundamental changes necessary to orient plant team behavior towards customer needs and ensure sustainable performance aligned with business requirements
Lead implementation of OPEX organization to develop a performance driven culture by implementing Continuous Improvement/Lean principles and concepts through the value chain
Ensure alignment between SC and business; Identify and define with the business the key site projects that will fundamentally change and differentiate the SC over the next strategy period; Set priorities and allocate resources; accordingly, develop and implement Capex plan/HSE initiatives in alignment with company strategy and values
Develop, implement, report, set targets and control a set of KPI's to support achievements of plant objectives

We offer:

A collaborative and growth-oriented work culture within a global organization.
A culture that prioritizes safety and well-being, both physically and mentally
The opportunity to work for a company where sustainability is much more than a claim and is core to our strategy and purpose
Barrier-free communities within our organization where every employee is equally valued and respected – regardless of their background, beliefs, or identity
An eagerness to be one team and learn from each other to bring progress to life and create a better future

You bring:

Master’s degree in chemical, Process or Management Engineering or Food Technology
10+ years of prior plant leadership experience in roles of increasing responsibility within food-manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, or related manufacturing environments
8+ years’ experience managing people and cross functional leadership
Excellent knowledge of GMP, HACCP, ISO 9001/14001 standards.
High-level analytical and modeling skills and ability to coach others/ teams
Ability to lead the deployment of systematic improvements and organizational capabilities
Requires effective management of a variety of activities in a fast-paced environment, combined with a focus on engaging employees, effective decision making, effective communication and strong organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Strong knowledge of regulations on safety in the workplace
Fluent in English – mandatory written and verbal

About dsm-firmenich

At dsm-firmenich, we don’t just meet expectations – we go beyond them.

Join our global team powered by science, creativity, and a shared purpose: to bring progress to life.

From elevating health to making fortified food and sustainable skincare, the impact of your work here will be felt by millions – every single day. Whether it’s fragrance that helps you focus, alternative meat that’s better for the planet, or reducing sugar without losing flavor, this is where you help shape the future of nutrition, health, and beauty for everyone, everywhere.

And while you’re making a difference, we’ll make sure you’re growing too. With learning that never stops, a culture that lifts you up and the freedom to move across businesses, teams, and borders. Your voice matters here. And your ideas? They’re essential to our future.

Because real progress only happens when we go beyond, together.

Inclusion, belonging and equal opportunity statement
At dsm-firmenich, we believe being a force for good starts with the way we treat each other. When people feel supported, included, and free to be themselves, they do their best work – and that’s exactly the kind of culture we’re building. A place where opportunity is truly equal, authenticity is celebrated, and everyone has the chance to grow, contribute, and feel they belong.
We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we’re serious about making our hiring process as fair and inclusive as possible. From inclusive language and diverse interview panels to thoughtful sourcing, we’re committed to reflecting the world we serve.

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds — no matter your gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes you, you.

And if you have a disability or need any support through the application process, we’re here to help – just let us know what you need, and we’ll do everything we can to make it work.

Agency statement:

We’re managing this search directly at dsm-firmenich. If you’re applying as an individual, we’d love to hear from you. We’re not accepting agency submissions or proposals involving fees or commissions for this role.