Director of Manufacturing

Job Description : Director of Manufacturing Operations – Pulp and Paper Mill INDONESIA A confidential industrial organisation is seeking a highly experienced Director of Manufacturing Operations to lead the manufacturing function of a large-scale integrated Bleached Kraft Pulp (BKP) Mill in Kalimantan. This pivotal role offers you the opportunity to shape the future of a major production facility, driving operational excellence, asset performance, environmental compliance, and product quality. You will be entrusted with full accountability for all manufacturing activities, ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations while nurturing a high-performing production team. The organisation values your commitment to ethical leadership, collaborative culture, and continuous improvement. If you are passionate about building organisational capability and strengthening operational discipline within an international and multicultural environment, this executive position provides an exceptional platform for your expertise. Flexible working opportunities and generous support for professional development are available to help you thrive. You will have full responsibility for integrated mill manufacturing operations including woodyard, fiberline, pulp drying, chemical recovery, utilities, water treatment, and more. The organisation is committed to fostering a collaborative culture where employee engagement, leadership development, and operational excellence are at the forefront. This role offers significant scope for impact through process optimisation, energy management, environmental performance improvements, and building a dependable production team. What you'll do: As Director of Manufacturing Operations – Integrated Pulp and Paper Mill in Kalimantan, you will play a central role in shaping the strategic direction of a large-scale Pulp facility. Your day-to-day responsibilities will involve overseeing complex manufacturing processes from woodyard operations through fiberline technology to chemical recovery systems. You will ensure that every aspect of production meets rigorous standards for safety, reliability, environmental compliance, and product quality. By leveraging your deep technical knowledge and people leadership skills, you will drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance asset performance and optimise cost efficiency. Success in this role requires you to build strong relationships with frontline teams while collaborating effectively with cross-functional partners. Your ability to foster a culture of operational discipline and employee engagement will be key to delivering sustainable improvements in manufacturing performance. Oversee all aspects of integrated mill manufacturing operations including woodyard management, fiberline processes such as batch digesters, washing, screening, oxygen delignification, bleaching, pulp drying and baling. Direct chemical recovery operations encompassing recovery boiler management, evaporation systems, causticizing processes, lime kiln operation as well as utilities and power generation. Ensure optimal water treatment and wastewater treatment practices that meet stringent environmental compliance standards while supporting sustainable manufacturing. Drive operational excellence by implementing advanced process control strategies and continuous improvement initiatives across all production areas. Establish robust manufacturing discipline and standards that promote safety performance and process safety culture throughout the facility. Lead efforts to improve production reliability and asset performance by deploying best practices in reliability engineering and asset management. Champion product quality enhancement programmes that deliver consistent output meeting customer specifications and regulatory requirements. Optimise manufacturing cost efficiency through effective energy management and resource utilisation across all mill operations. Foster employee engagement by developing high-performing operational teams with strong interpersonal connections and supportive leadership. Collaborate closely with technical, commercial, and corporate stakeholders to align manufacturing objectives with broader business goals. What you bring: Your extensive background as Director of Manufacturing Operations – Integrated Pulp and Paper Mill equips you with the technical credibility required for this critical executive assignment. You bring decades of experience managing complex pulp manufacturing processes alongside a proven track record in operational leadership roles. Your expertise spans batch digester technology as well as fibreline operations—enabling you to oversee everything from woodyard management through chemical recovery systems. You are adept at navigating multicultural environments thanks to your fluency in English communication. Your approach combines data-driven decision-making with compassionate people leadership; you excel at building high-performing teams who share your commitment to safety culture and continuous improvement. Your educational foundation includes a relevant engineering degree complemented by postgraduate qualifications where applicable. You are recognised for your ability to deliver sustainable improvements through collaborative partnerships with technical experts and commercial stakeholders alike. Mandatory: Over twenty years of progressive manufacturing experience within the pulp industry demonstrating deep technical expertise in integrated Bleached Kraft Pulp operations. Mandatory: At least ten years in senior operational leadership roles managing large-scale production facilities with proven results in operational excellence. Mandatory: Direct experience leading an integrated Bleached Kraft Pulp Mill including hands-on exposure to batch digester technology. Mandatory: Demonstrated success in mill startup, commissioning, stabilisation or major operational improvement programmes within complex environments. Mandatory: Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering or related field such as Mechanical, Industrial or Process Engineering; MBA or postgraduate qualification is advantageous. Mandatory: Fluent English communication skills enabling effective interaction across international and multicultural settings. Nice to Have: Experience with advanced process control systems for fibreline operations and chemical recovery systems. Nice to Have: Strong track record in process optimisation projects focused on energy management and environmental performance improvements. Nice to Have: Proven ability to develop future leaders through mentoring programmes that strengthen organisational capability. Nice to Have: Exposure to international operating environments with sensitivity towards diverse cultural perspectives.

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