Interim Site/Plant Director - Belgium - Tier 1 OEM supplier

Are you a proven operations leader with focus on managing and optimizing international production, preferably in the automotive sector? This exceptional interim role requires a highly results-oriented leader with significant experience of best-in-class industrial production.

As interim Site Director you will be responsible for the whole operations and turnaround of the performance of the site. Developing a culture based on high commitment to operational excellence, safety, transparency in communications and empowerment and engagement of employees will be a key enabler.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Fluent Dutch language skills
• Happy to be based at least 3 days per week in the Belgium plant
• A background with a TIER 1 Automotive Supplier
• A proven track record of running the operations of a standalone plant and building a cohesive and stable workforce.
• A hands-on attitude combined with pragmatic, action-oriented approach and transparent communication. Simultaneously, a strategic thinker, well experienced in larger sites and seeing a much broader picture.
• Experience in dealing with all stakeholders in such a process (labour unions, employees, politics, etc.)
• Strong inspirational team leadership, results orientation, and perseverance as well as a certain "robustness" in driving tough programs to success.
• Be well-versed in the European manufacturing environment.
• Bring technical functional depth and credibility and the requisite executive leadership traits required to effectively interface with the Senior Leadership Team.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead Plant operations to achieve all business objectives including safety, quality, delivery, continuous improvement, production throughput, profitability, customer service, and other internal metrics.
• Ensure development of employees including but not limited to staffing, training, and empowerment of all plant employees.
• Ensure permanent customer satisfaction and confidence through relationship building quality and deliveries.
• Manage variable margin through direct labor efficiency and productivity, material cost consumption, scrap and rework reductions.
• Manage fixed cost including indirect labor, manufacturing costs, and inventory.
• Manage inventories through appropriate information management and physical flow in the plant.
• Set plant lay out for optimal flow and efficient use of equipment: capacity, reliability, operating costs, CAPEX control.
• Drive continuous and breakthrough improvement.
• Drive supplier performance improvement and material consumption reduction with purchasing department.
• Participate in Strategic Business Plan construction to confirm plant mid-term vision and future.
• Manage and develop effective labor relations.
• Work closely with the construction and engineering on the planning and budgeting process for the buildout, communicating the timeline internally and adjusting the plan as necessary.
• Recruits and develops a high-performing team, scaling up the plant capabilities to ensure that the plant is fully staffed.

Apply asap, immediate start ideal.