Plant Manager

Plant Manager – Frozen Bakery Manufacturing Company: Prima International Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reports to: CEO / COO Employment Type: Full-time About the Role Prima International is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead its frozen bakery manufacturing facility in Riyadh, with overall accountability for plant performance, food safety, product quality, workforce development, and financial results. Working through the Operations Manager and plant department heads, the Plant Manager will translate business objectives into manufacturing strategies, establish performance standards, and ensure the facility consistently meets customer requirements. The role requires strong leadership, commercial awareness, and substantial experience in industrial frozen bakery manufacturing. Key Responsibilities • Establish and execute the plant’s annual operating plan, aligning production capacity, workforce requirements, budgets, and improvement priorities with company objectives. • Lead the Operations Manager and plant department heads, setting clear responsibilities, performance targets, and accountability for results. • Oversee plant performance across production, maintenance, quality, sanitation, warehousing, and site safety, in coordination with relevant corporate functions. • Ensure production capacity and resources support sales forecasts, customer commitments, seasonal demand, and business growth. • Own the plant’s operating budget, monitor manufacturing costs and financial performance, and deliver sustainable improvements in productivity and profitability. • Develop capital investment proposals for equipment, automation, infrastructure, and capacity expansion, supported by business cases and expected returns. • Maintain effective food safety and quality systems in collaboration with Quality Assurance, including HACCP, GMP, allergen management, traceability, and audit readiness. • Ensure manufacturing processes consistently meet approved product specifications, with appropriate controls over dough processing, lamination, proofing or baking where applicable, freezing, packaging, and cold storage. • Promote a strong safety culture and ensure effective management of workplace hazards, incident investigations, and corrective actions. • Hold teams accountable for equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, utilities availability, and the integrity of refrigeration and cold-chain systems. • Lead plant-wide continuous improvement programs to reduce waste, downtime, energy consumption, and manufacturing losses. • Sponsor new product introductions, production line commissioning, factory expansion, and operational readiness projects. • Coordinate with Sales, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, and HR to resolve constraints and support service levels and business priorities. • Develop leadership capability, succession plans, and workforce skills while promoting consistent performance management and employee accountability. • Maintain business continuity plans for major operational risks, including equipment failures, refrigeration interruptions, and material shortages. • Review plant KPIs and report performance, risks, corrective actions, and investment priorities to the CEO / COO. Qualifications and Experience • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Food Technology, Business Administration, or a related discipline. An equivalent combination of education and substantial relevant experience may be considered. • At least 10 years of progressive manufacturing experience, including 5 years in a senior plant, factory, or operations leadership role. • Proven leadership experience in industrial bakery manufacturing, with strong hands-on knowledge of frozen bakery operations, is essential. • Experience with croissants, laminated dough, pastries, and other frozen dough or bakery products is highly preferred. • Demonstrated success managing an entire manufacturing facility or multiple operational departments, with accountability for budgets, people, and performance. • Strong understanding of automated bakery production, freezing systems, cold storage, equipment reliability, and manufacturing capacity planning. • Practical knowledge of HACCP, GMP, and recognized food safety management systems; experience with FSSC 22000 or BRCGS is an advantage. • Proven ability to improve manufacturing efficiency, control costs, reduce waste, and maintain product quality and delivery performance. • Experience preparing operating budgets, evaluating capital expenditure, and delivering investment or expansion projects. • Experience in factory start-ups, production line commissioning, or capacity expansion is highly preferred. • Proficiency in Microsoft Dynamics 365 system, manufacturing performance reporting, and Microsoft Office. • Strong English communication skills; Arabic is an advantage. Key Competencies • Strategic planning and sound business judgment. • Financial accountability and results-focused leadership. • Development of managers and multicultural teams. • Effective decision-making and structured problem-solving. • Change management and continuous improvement. • Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management. • Strong commitment to food safety, product quality, and employee wellbeing. Show more Show less