Plant Director (expatriate)

Job Introduction

Adexen has been mandated by a leading international industrial Group operating in the cement manufacturing sector to recruit an experienced expatriate Plant Director for its operations in Ethiopia.

Responsibilities

The Plant Director will assume full responsibility for the overall management and performance of the cement plant, ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations while leading multidisciplinary teams across production, maintenance, mining, engineering, logistics, and support functions.

Reporting to senior executive leadership, the successful candidate will play a key role in implementing the Group’s operational strategy and strengthening plant performance in line with international standards and business objectives.

 

Operational & Industrial Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for all plant operations and support functions.
• Ensure the achievement of production, quality, cost, and efficiency targets across the facility.
• Oversee all production-related activities including manufacturing, mining, maintenance, engineering, procurement, logistics, and distribution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and industrial excellence programs throughout the plant.
• Ensure optimal utilization of plant assets, equipment, energy, fuels, and raw materials.
• Monitor plant performance through KPIs, benchmarking tools, and predefined Group standards.
• Align production planning with sales forecasts and market demand requirements.
• Lead process optimization initiatives to improve reliability, productivity, and operational efficiency.
• Provide leadership and oversight on all critical technical and operational matters.

 

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Promote and maintain a strong HSE culture across all operations.
• Ensure compliance with Group policies, local regulations, and international industrial standards.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety and environmental performance.

 

Financial & Strategic Management

• Prepare and manage annual operating and capital expenditure budgets.
• Ensure rigorous financial control and efficient allocation of resources.
• Monitor plant profitability and implement corrective measures where necessary.
• Support the execution of the Group’s long-term industrial and operational strategy.

 

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach, and develop large multicultural teams within a demanding industrial environment.
• Foster a performance-driven and accountability-focused culture.
• Oversee succession planning, workforce development, training initiatives, and employee engagement.
• Manage labour relations and ensure effective communication across the organization.

 

Customer & Stakeholder Orientation

• Support the development of a customer-focused operational culture.
• Ensure production and delivery performance consistently meets customer expectations and business requirements.

 

Desired Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• MBA or postgraduate qualification is considered an advantage.
• Minimum 20 years of industrial experience, including at least 10 years in senior leadership roles within large-scale heavy industrial manufacturing environments.
• Strong experience managing integrated cement plants or comparable process manufacturing operations.
• Previous exposure to emerging markets and/or African operations is highly desirable.
• Solid expertise in:
  • Cement manufacturing operations
  • Maintenance & reliability
  • Process optimization
  • Industrial performance management
  • HSE management
  • Supply chain & logistics
  • Financial and operational planning
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Proven leadership capabilities in multicultural and complex operational environments.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead operational transformation and performance improvement initiatives.

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

We thank all applicants however only those selected will be contacted.