Factory Manager - Congo

Job Description:

Job Purpose

The Senior Factory Manager is responsible for leading end-to-end manufacturing operations of a high-volume soft drinks and bottled water facility. The role ensures safe, compliant, efficient, and cost-effective production while delivering world-class quality standards, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across processing, bottling, packaging, and warehousing operations.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing & Operations Leadership

• Lead overall plant operations including beverage processing, syrup room, water treatment, filling, packaging, and dispatch.
• Achieve production targets for soft drinks (CSD/flavored juice) and bottled water across multiple SKUs and pack formats.
• Ensure optimal utilization of manpower, machinery, and utilities to maximize productivity and OEE.
• Drive operational stability, line efficiency, and throughput improvement.

Quality, Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with food safety and quality systems.
• Maintain strict adherence to water quality standards, sanitation, and hygiene programs.
• Lead regulatory, customer, and certification audits; ensure timely closure of corrective and preventive actions.
• Oversee quality assurance, laboratory operations, and consumer complaint reduction.

Engineering, Maintenance & Utilities

• Oversee preventive and breakdown maintenance of high-speed bottling lines (PET).
• Manage critical utilities including water treatment, RO, ozone, UV, CIP systems, compressors, boilers, chillers, and refrigeration.
• Drive asset reliability, spare parts optimization, and maintenance cost control.
• Support capital projects, line upgrades, and plant expansions.

Cost Control & Budget Management

• Prepare and manage annual plant operating budgets.
• Monitor and reduce conversion cost, material losses, energy, and water consumption.
• Drive waste reduction initiatives (water loss, sugar loss, packaging waste).
• Track and improve financial KPIs including cost per case and yield.

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead and develop cross-functional teams (Production, Quality, Maintenance, Warehouse, EHS).
• Build a strong performance culture focused on accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective manpower planning, succession planning, and talent development.
• Maintain healthy industrial relations and workforce engagement.

Supply Chain & Inventory Management

• Coordinate with procurement, planning, and logistics teams to ensure uninterrupted operations.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels of raw materials, packaging, and finished goods.
• Ensure on-time dispatch and warehouse efficiency.

Safety, Health & Environment (EHS)

• Ensure compliance with all statutory safety and environmental regulations.
• Drive zero-accident culture through safety programs and audits.
• Monitor water stewardship, effluent treatment, and sustainability initiatives.

Continuous Improvement & Digitalization

• Lead Lean, TPM, Six Sigma, and Kaizen initiatives across the plant.
• Implement automation, digitization, and Industry 4.0 practices.
• Drive data-based decision making and performance management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Production volume vs. plan
• OEE, line efficiency, and downtime reduction
• Quality performance and consumer complaint rate
• Cost per case and waste reduction
• Audit scores and compliance status
• Safety metrics (LTIFR)
• Energy and water usage per liter produced

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Food Technology, or Industrial Engineering.

Experience

• 12–18 years of manufacturing experience in soft drinks and bottled water.
• Minimum 5–7 years in a senior leadership role managing large beverage plants.
• Strong exposure to high-speed PET lines.
• Experience in multinational FMCG or large-scale beverage operations in Africa preferred.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
• Deep understanding of beverage processing and bottling technologies
• Financial acumen and cost management expertise
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Knowledge of food safety, water quality, and regulatory requirements
• Change management and continuous improvement mindset