Plant Manager- Steel Industry

Plant Manager – Steel Manufacturing

Job Title: Plant Manager

Location : Iraq

Industry: Steel Manufacturing

Department: Production / Operations

Reports To: General Manager / Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Location: [Insert Location]

Experience Required: 10–15+ years of experience in steel manufacturing, including 5+ years in a senior plant management or operations leadership role.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Plant Manager with a strong background in the steel industry to oversee the overall operations of our steel manufacturing facility. The successful candidate will be responsible for production planning, operational efficiency, quality assurance, maintenance, health and safety, cost control, and workforce management.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in steel manufacturing processes, a proven track record of achieving production targets, optimizing manufacturing costs, improving equipment reliability, and leading cross-functional teams to achieve operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Plant Operations and Production Management

• Oversee daily plant operations to ensure efficient, safe, and continuous production.
• Develop and execute production plans to meet customer requirements, delivery schedules, and business objectives.
• Monitor production output, capacity utilization, productivity, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Optimize manufacturing processes and minimize downtime, waste, and production losses.
• Ensure effective utilization of raw materials, energy, manpower, and equipment.
• Coordinate with production planning, procurement, logistics, and sales teams.

2. Steel Manufacturing Expertise

• Manage and optimize relevant steel production processes, such as steel melting, casting, rolling, forming, fabrication, or finishing, depending on the facility.
• Ensure adherence to approved process parameters, operating procedures, and product specifications.
• Monitor yield, scrap rates, material losses, furnace performance, and energy consumption.
• Implement process improvements to increase productivity and improve product consistency.
• Troubleshoot operational issues and lead corrective and preventive actions.

3. Maintenance and Equipment Reliability

• Coordinate with maintenance teams to ensure equipment reliability and availability.
• Implement preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs.
• Minimize unplanned equipment breakdowns and production interruptions.
• Oversee maintenance planning, spare parts availability, and equipment upgrades.
• Lead root-cause analysis for recurring equipment failures and operational bottlenecks.

4. Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

• Ensure products meet customer specifications and applicable quality standards.
• Work closely with the quality department to reduce defects, rework, and customer complaints.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives, Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and other relevant methodologies.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and implement action plans to close performance gaps.
• Support compliance with applicable quality management systems, including ISO 9001 where relevant.

5. Health, Safety, and Environmental Compliance

• Ensure strict compliance with occupational health and safety requirements.
• Promote a strong safety culture throughout the plant.
• Ensure safe operating practices for furnaces, cranes, rolling equipment, electrical systems, and other relevant machinery.
• Investigate incidents and near misses and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure environmental compliance, waste management, and efficient energy and resource utilization.

6. Cost Control and Financial Performance

• Prepare and manage plant operating budgets in coordination with senior management.
• Control manufacturing costs, including raw materials, energy, labor, maintenance, and consumables.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality or safety.
• Monitor production costs, material yield, scrap, and operating expenses.
• Support capital expenditure planning and evaluate investments in equipment and process improvements.

7. Leadership and Workforce Management

• Lead, develop, and motivate production, maintenance, quality, and other operational teams.
• Establish performance targets and accountability across departments.
• Identify training needs and develop employee skills and succession plans.
• Promote teamwork, discipline, communication, and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ensure adequate staffing, shift planning, and workforce productivity.

8. Reporting and Strategic Planning

• Prepare regular operational reports covering production, quality, maintenance, safety, and costs.
• Present plant performance, improvement plans, and key risks to senior management.
• Establish short- and long-term operational objectives aligned with company strategy.
• Lead operational improvement projects and support plant expansion or modernization initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification or MBA is an advantage.
• Minimum 10–15 years of relevant experience in industrial manufacturing, preferably in the steel industry.
• At least 5 years of experience in plant management, production management, or senior operations leadership.
• Strong practical knowledge of steel manufacturing processes relevant to the facility.
• Demonstrated experience in production planning, cost optimization, maintenance coordination, and quality management.
• Proven ability to lead large operational teams and manage multiple departments.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, production reporting, and data-driven decision-making.
• Knowledge of applicable safety, environmental, and quality management standards.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing KPIs, production efficiency, and cost control.
• Strong communication, coordination, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to perform effectively in a demanding, target-driven manufacturing environment.
• Strategic thinking combined with hands-on operational management.
• Strong commitment to workplace safety, product quality, and continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Plant Manager will be evaluated against measurable operational and business targets, including:

• Production output versus planned targets.
• Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and equipment availability.
• Production yield and scrap percentage.
• Manufacturing cost per ton of steel produced.
• Energy consumption per ton of production.
• Product quality, rejection, and rework rates.
• On-time delivery performance.
• Preventive maintenance compliance and unplanned downtime.
• Workplace safety performance and incident reduction.
• Labor productivity and workforce efficiency.
• Achievement of plant operating budget and cost-reduction targets.