Plant Manager

Roquette•Newark, NJ

19h•Onsite

About The Position

Roquette is a family-owned global leader in plant-based ingredients and a leading provider of pharmaceutical excipients. Using plant-based resources, we collaborate with our customers and partners to imagine and offer ingredients to better feed people and treat patients. Each of our ingredients responds to unique and essential needs, and they enable healthier lifestyles. We are looking for our next Plant Manager within one of our pharmaceutical excipient production facilities. The Plant Manager will be responsible for site personnel, legal compliancy of assets, community relations, and achievement of business and corporate goals. The role provides strategic direction across all site functions, supports and establishes a productive culture, and is a key member of the business operations leadership team. This position is located in Newark, DE. Roquette employs more than 11,000 people globally, operating in more than 150 countries through more than 40 manufacturing sites and 20 R&D and innovation centers. The company achieved a turnover of €4.5 billion in 2024. Harnessing natural resources like wheat, corn and cellulose, Roquette crafts high-performance ingredients and solutions used in everyday foods, oral medications, advanced biopharmaceuticals, and bio-based products. Roquette is a family-owned company driven by a long-term vision and a constant commitment to innovation. For almost a century, Roquette has been empowering better living and building a sustainable future by offering the best of nature.

Requirements

M.Sc. degree in engineering or science with experience in either industrial biochemistry, pharma or food additives; or a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering with 10+ years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Manufacturing experience which includes exposure to HSE, Quality, Food Safety/Pharma, Maintenance and Continuous Improvement systems and tools.
Experience in supervising people and leading teams.
Role model and advance Lean Behaviors, Core Values: Authenticity, Forward Looking, Well Being, Excellence, and Roquette principles of action: trust, empowerment, collaboration and accountability.

Responsibilities

Establishes managing processes for advancing and ensuring consistency of Core Values (HSE/PSM, Ethics & Respect for People) across the site.
Ensures regulatory compliance across all core values including product integrity and food safety.
Leads identification and prioritization of risk reduction opportunities, establishes clear priorities and supports effective resourcing to drive improvement at the site. (EHS/PSM, Site security)
Leads relationship with local authorities including safety, food safety, health regulatory agency, customs, police.
Interfaces with municipal entities and manages relationships with site service suppliers.
Ensures follow up and consistency of pharma compliance protocols and continuous improvement plans.
Maintains positive community relations through active participation in local organizations.
Accountable for leading and managing the site’s Environmental, Occupational Health and Safety, Quality and Food Safety Management Systems (ISO9001:2015, FSSC 22000) requirements.
Engages all employees in HSE awareness and training, striving for zero incidents.
Provide leadership that gives clear, consistent mission and direction in alignment with business strategy and priorities.
Establish, communicate and own clearly defined objectives, targets, and Masterplan, integrating priorities across all functions within the plant.
Identify, measure, track and ensure achievement of critical success factors.
Lead and drive cultural change and continuous improvement.
Coordinate production, maintenance, distribution, warehousing, and cost improvement initiatives in accordance with corporate guidelines.
Develop plans for efficient use of materials, machines, and employees.
Oversee Cost of Goods Sold and product quality and modifies production and inventory control programs to maintain and enhance profitable operation of business.
Communication of business objectives, priorities and progress across the site.
Communication within Roquette off-site and above site.
Develops, implements and renews site objectives and Masterplan, including a clear site vision, which supports the Roquette strategy.
Leads site staff team in identifying Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) and aligning site Masterplan with business strategy and anticipating future needs.
Accountable for advancing Lean culture of continuous improvement (visual management, people, environment, site vision, empowerment, accountability, visual controls, performance dialog, structured problem solving).
Responsible for site’s infrastructure capabilities, asset integrity, improvement and resource plans via evergreen Masterplan.
Utilizes performance tracking metrics to drive execution.
Establish and maintain good working relationships with local community, civic groups, other businesses and manufacturing operations within the industrial community, and political and legislative representatives.
Maintain close liaison with first responders and regulatory agencies to ensure that company meets its obligations as a corporate citizen in the community.
Act, with the support of the HRLR function, as the primary site representative for interactions with employee representative bodies, unions, and works councils, ensuring constructive and transparent dialogue.
Proactively manage industrial relations to support a positive, collaborative labor climate while ensuring compliance with all relevant labor laws, agreements, and corporate policies.
Lead or support collective bargaining processes, negotiations, and conflict resolution, balancing business objectives with employee interests.
Monitor and address workforce concerns, grievances, and disciplinary matters with fairness, consistency, and in accordance with legal and policy requirements.
Foster open communication, mutual respect, and engagement between site leadership, employees, and their representatives.
Develops people at the site (feedback, coaching, mentoring, delegation, difficult conversations, capability building, clear objective-setting).
Encourages employee’s engagement and fosters empowerment and ownership through leader standard work practices.
Establishes and ensures the effectiveness of two-way communication processes across the site.
Manages staffing strategy (core/ variable, overtime management and labor planning).
Provides strategy and ensures effectiveness of the reward and recognition system across the plant.
Utilizes talent management processes and systems (succession planning, top talent, Individual Performance Plan).
Cultivates an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative workplace, empowering employees and encouraging participation in site initiatives.
Implement strategies to attract, retain, and develop top talent, ensuring long-term organizational capability.