Plant/Factory Manager Commissioning & Manufacturing Operations

Job Summary

A leading multinational manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced, visionary, and results-driven Factory Director – Commissioning & Manufacturing Operations to lead the commissioning, operational readiness, start-up, stabilization, and commercial operation of a new large-scale manufacturing facility in Johor, Malaysia.

This strategic leadership role will play a critical part in driving commissioning activities, establishing manufacturing systems, building operational capabilities, and ensuring a successful transition into commercial operations.

The successful candidate will provide overall leadership across all manufacturing functions, including Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Utilities, Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC), Food Safety, Warehouse, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), and Operational Excellence.

This position is ideal for an experienced manufacturing leader with proven success in greenfield projects, plant commissioning, operational readiness, and large-scale manufacturing operations.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Commissioning, Start-Up & Operational Readiness

• Lead all plant commissioning, start-up, and operational readiness activities.
• Manage equipment validation, testing, and performance verification activities.
• Coordinate closely with project teams, consultants, contractors, OEM suppliers, and engineering partners.
• Ensure smooth transition from project execution into commercial manufacturing operations.
• Drive plant stabilization and achievement of production ramp-up targets.
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve operational challenges during commissioning and start-up phases.
• Establish manufacturing systems, procedures, and operational standards prior to commercial production.
• Deliver operational readiness milestones, performance guarantees, and manufacturing KPIs.
  
  

Factory Operations & Manufacturing Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and direction for all manufacturing operations.
• Oversee day-to-day activities across Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Utilities, Warehouse, QA/QC, and EHS functions.
• Establish operational strategies to achieve business objectives and production targets.
• Drive operational excellence, productivity improvement, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Ensure efficient utilization of manpower, equipment, facilities, and resources.
• Develop and monitor key operational performance indicators (KPIs).
• Build a high-performance culture focused on safety, quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
  
  

Production Management

• Oversee production planning, scheduling, and execution activities.
• Ensure production targets, quality standards, and customer requirements are consistently achieved.
• Improve manufacturing efficiency, productivity, and process performance.
• Lead initiatives to improve yield, reduce waste, and optimize manufacturing costs.
• Implement manufacturing best practices and continuous improvement programs.
• Ensure optimal inventory management of raw materials, packaging materials, and finished goods.
  
  

Engineering, Maintenance & Utilities Management

• Lead engineering, maintenance, reliability, and utilities functions.
• Establish and maintain effective preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs.
• Optimize equipment reliability, plant availability, and operational uptime.
• Manage utilities including boilers, steam systems, compressed air, chilled water, water treatment systems, wastewater treatment facilities, and other process support utilities.
• Lead root cause investigations and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Drive reliability excellence and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) initiatives.
• Ensure long-term asset integrity and equipment performance.
  
  

Quality Assurance, Quality Control & Food Safety

• Ensure compliance with all quality, food safety, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain compliance with:
• GMP
• HACCP
• Halal Standards
• Food Safety Management Systems
• FSSC 22000 / ISO Standards
• Customer and regulatory requirements
• Promote and strengthen food safety and quality culture across the organization.
• Support customer, certification, regulatory, and internal audits.
• Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives.
  

Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS)

• Establish and maintain a strong safety culture across all departments.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable environmental, health, and safety regulations.
• Lead risk assessments, incident investigations, and safety improvement initiatives.
• Implement safe operating procedures, permit-to-work systems, and risk management programs.
• Drive continuous improvement in workplace safety performance and environmental sustainability.
  
  

Leadership & People Development

• Build, lead, mentor, and develop multidisciplinary teams across manufacturing functions.
• Establish performance management systems and accountability frameworks.
• Develop succession planning and talent development initiatives.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, ownership, discipline, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Drive employee engagement and organizational capability building.
  
  

Financial & Business Performance

• Manage manufacturing operational budgets and expenditures.
• Monitor operational costs and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
• Drive productivity improvements and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Support annual business planning, CAPEX projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Deliver agreed operational and financial performance targets.
  
  

Stakeholder & Regulatory Management

• Liaise with government agencies, regulatory authorities, certification bodies, contractors, consultants, suppliers, and customers.
• Represent the company during audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
  
  

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Food Science, Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Master's Degree or MBA will be an added advantage.
  
  

Experience

• Minimum 20 years of progressive manufacturing experience within food, ingredients, dairy, biotechnology, nutritional, FMCG, or related manufacturing industries.
• Minimum 10 - 15 years in senior leadership positions such as Factory Manager, Plant Manager, Operations Director, Manufacturing Director, General Manager, Plant Director, or equivalent.
• Proven experience leading large-scale manufacturing facilities.
• Demonstrated success in plant commissioning, start-up, operational readiness, and plant stabilization projects.
• Strong experience managing Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Utilities, QA/QC, Food Safety, Warehouse, and EHS functions.
• Proven experience in greenfield manufacturing projects is highly preferred.
• Experience working within multinational manufacturing environments is highly preferred.
• Experience leading large cross-functional teams in a manufacturing environment.
  
  

Preferred Industry Background

Candidates with experience in the following industries will be highly preferred:

• Food Ingredients Manufacturing
• Dairy Manufacturing
• Nutritional Ingredients Manufacturing
• Biotechnology Manufacturing
• Specialty Ingredients Manufacturing
• Food Processing Manufacturing
• Agricultural Processing Manufacturing
• FMCG Manufacturing
  
  

Experience in greenfield projects, factory start-ups, ingredient manufacturing, complex process manufacturing, and large-scale manufacturing operations will be a significant advantage.

Technical Competencies

• Factory Operations Management
• Plant Commissioning & Start-Up
• Operational Readiness
• Manufacturing Excellence
• Production Management
• Engineering & Maintenance Management
• Utilities & Reliability Management
• Food Safety & Quality Systems
• GMP, HACCP & Halal Compliance
• FSSC 22000 / ISO Standards
• Lean Manufacturing
• TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)
• Continuous Improvement
• Root Cause Analysis
• CAPEX Project Management
• Cost Management & Budgeting
• Digital Manufacturing & Industry 4.0
  
  

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Business Acumen
• Strong Decision-Making Skills
• Change Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Team Development & Coaching
• Problem Solving & Analytical Thinking
• Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills
• Results-Oriented Leadership
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  
  

Why Join Us

• Opportunity to lead a major manufacturing start-up and operational excellence journey.
• Strategic leadership role with significant influence on business growth and operational success.
• Opportunity to build and establish a world-class manufacturing organization from the ground up.
• Exposure to advanced manufacturing technologies and international best practices.
• Dynamic and fast-growing multinational manufacturing environment.
• Attractive remuneration package with long-term career growth opportunities.
  
  

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Agrocorp International is a leading global agri-commodities company, connecting farmers, processors, and markets across key regions worldwide. With a strong presence in origination and destination markets, we specialize in sourcing, processing, and distributing high-quality agricultural products. Driven by innovation, sustainability, and a people-first culture, Agrocorp offers a dynamic environment where talent can grow, gain global exposure, and make a meaningful impact in the food supply chain.