Our client is a global manufacturer of plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (PHAR) fittings and valves, with a manufacturing footprint across multiple European sites and a long-standing reputation for engineering excellence and reliability.

This role is accountable for the operational, financial, and strategic performance of all European manufacturing facilities, with additional responsibility for coordinating effectively with the group's Asian manufacturing partners. You will report directly to the Group CEO, and your primary objective will be to achieve or exceed budgeted performance across every facility while maintaining safe, efficient, cost-competitive, and customer-focused operations.

This is a senior operational leadership role suited to someone with a strong engineering and manufacturing background and proven multi-site leadership experience. The role demands the energy and organizational capability to lead a demanding international manufacturing operation, with frequent business reviews and regular international travel across Europe and Asia.

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring every manufacturing facility achieves its budgeted operational, quality, and safety targets
• Owning manufacturing costs across all sites and driving continuous improvement in cost competitiveness
• Ensuring products consistently meet customer and regulatory quality requirements
• Working closely with the Supply Chain Director to deliver customer service commitments and execute the approved production plan
• Preparing, justifying, executing, and monitoring capital investment projects across the manufacturing footprint
• Ensuring alignment, performance, and supply reliability from Asian manufacturing operations, including regular supplier performance reviews
• Maintaining a safe working environment and full regulatory and environmental compliance across all sites
• Leading and developing the manufacturing leadership team, including succession planning and employee engagement
• Collaborating closely with Commercial, Sales, Supply Chain, and the Executive Leadership team on cross-functional improvement projects
• Delivering monthly performance reporting to the CEO, escalating significant risks promptly, and maintaining a rolling 12-month manufacturing improvement plan
  

This role can be based in Wetzlar or Attendorn, Germany, Cordoba, Spain, or Poznan, Poland, and involves extensive international travel across Europe and Asia.

Requirements

• Proven international, multi-site manufacturing leadership across Europe, with responsibility for operational, financial, and strategic performance

• An engineering degree (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or equivalent) is required; an MBA, postgraduate business qualification, or Lean Six Sigma Black Belt is a plus
• A demonstrable track record of improving productivity, cost, quality, safety, and profitability through Lean manufacturing, operational excellence, and continuous improvement
• Experience managing large operational budgets and manufacturing P&L
• Experience managing capital investment projects, including justification, execution, and post-investment review
• A commercially astute leader capable of influencing executive stakeholders and leading cross-functional collaboration across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Sales, and Finance
• Experience coordinating with manufacturing partners or suppliers outside your home region, ideally including experience with Asian manufacturing operations
• Experience presenting operational and financial performance to CEO or Board-level stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills, with fluent spoken and written English
• Strong leadership and people development skills, including experience building succession plans for key roles
• Willingness and ability to undertake extensive international travel across Europe and Asia
• Experience within the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (PHAR) sector, valves, fluid control, or related industrial or automotive Tier 1 manufacturing is helpful but not required

Benefits

• Base salary range €110,000 to €135,000.
• Annual bonus scheme, incremental up to a maximum of 40% of base salary, based on budget being reached and above
• Paid leave ranges from 21 to 30 days annually depending on location

Keller is a recruitment agency that provides services to clients ranging from startups and non profits to multinational corporations. Keller emphasizes ethical search processes, attentive candidate care, and leadership placements that support long-term client outcomes.

To learn more about the firm and about our candidate services - please visit
https://www.kellerexecutivesearch.com/executive-recruitment-headhunters-spain-madrid-and-barcelona/

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