About the Client
Our client is a wellestablished multinational manufacturer within the specialty chemicals sector, supplying to key industries across the ASEAN region. The organization is committed to operational excellence, sustainability, and continuous improvement, with strong emphasis on safety, quality and compliance across all its facilities. The plant is based in Klang Valley, plays a pivotal role in supporting regional production and future growth initiatives.
About the Role:
As the Head of Manufacturing, you will lead the full spectrum of Operations and EHSQ functions for the ASEAN manufacturing site. This includes driving productivity, ensuring regulatory compliance, and strengthening a culture of safety and continuous improvement across the plant.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the overall plant operations, ensuring a safe, efficient and highperforming manufacturing environment that supports both current production needs and future growth.
- Drive continuous improvement across productivity, efficiency and cost optimization, using data-driven decision making and operational excellence methodologies to elevate plant performance.
- Oversee annual capex planning, maintenance strategies, and equipment investment decisions to ensure the plant remains reliable, scalable and fit for future production demands.
- Ensure full compliance and continuous enhancement of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 systems, embedding quality and environmental discipline into daily operations.
- Manage daily production operations, including scheduling, resource allocation, quality control and output optimisation to meet customer expectations and internal KPIs.
- Lead major operational projects, including production relocation initiatives, ensuring seamless transition, knowledge transfer and minimal disruption to business continuity.
- Build and develop a high-performing Operations team, focusing on capability development, performance management and succession planning.
- Champion EHS programs and risk reduction initiatives, ensuring a proactive safety culture and strengthening accountability at all levels of the organization.
- Lead incident investigations and root-cause analysis, implementing sustainable corrective actions that prevent recurrence and promote operational discipline.
- Oversee environmental management, waste treatment operations and sustainability activities, ensuring all regulatory permits, sampling and documentation requirements are fully met.
- Serve as the main liaison with government authorities and external partners, including DOE, DOSH, BOMBA and local councils, ensuring regulatory compliance and smooth operational audits.
- Deliver comprehensive safety and compliance training, embedding strong awareness in, hazard communication, machine safety, emergency response and safe work practices.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
- Minimum 5-8 years experience in plant operations, ideally in chemical, coating, colorants or paint manufacturing.
- Proven leadership capability with strategic thinking and strong operational discipline.
- Demonstrated experience in production management, cost control, EHS compliance and team development.
- Strong communication skills in English, with the ability to engage both senior and operational stakeholders.
- Additional exposure to supply chain or logistics is an advantage.
If you are a forward-thinking operations leader looking for a role where you can make a real strategic and operational impact, we would love to hear from you!
