Factory General Manager - Zaandam, Nederland - Koetsier Executive Search

Beschrijving

Koninklijke Verkade is part of United Biscuits Northern Europe, but is also still an unlimited company with an independent Supervisory Board and Executive Directors with a statutory status. The company was founded in 1886 and developed into a fast growing family owned producer of branded biscuits, wafers and later also confectionery and chocolate products. United Biscuits acquired the company in 1990. This opened the doorway to become part of a leading corporation in the snacks and confectionery marketplace in Europe.

United Biscuits, founded in Scotland as a merger of two family owned businesses in 1948, grew to a leading player in the European market through acquiring a number of strong companies and brands in biscuits, confectionery and snacks. In 2000 United Biscuits was bought by Finalrealm, a consortium of investors, and reverted to private limited company status. In 2006 United Biscuits was sold to a consortium of private equity investors (Blackstone & PAI).

United Biscuits focuses on profitable branded growth through investment in priority brands and key markets. The business is accumulating an unrivalled portfolio of leading biscuit and snacks brands which will create a series of exciting growth opportunities through leveraging United Biscuits natural advantages in scale, innovation and market reach.

United Biscuits is in a strong position for growth with well-known brands and market leading positions in its chosen markets. United Biscuits owns three of the top selling five biscuit brands in the United Kingdom. McVitie's and GoAhead are amongst the best-known brands in the UK. In Continental Europe Verkade, Sultana, BN (Biscuits Nantaise) and Delacre are leading brands.

The Northern Europe organisation consists of about 1500 people, spread over plants in Nieppe and Vertou (France), Lambermont (Belgium) and Zaandam (The Netherlands). The total annual production is in the range of 60-65 K tonnes, of which more than 45% is produced in the Zaandam site, with about 450 people employed.

Koninklijke Verkade produces both biscuits (including the fruit biscuit Sultana) and wafers. About 60% of the production is being distributed within the Dutch market, 40% is exported. The Zaandam plant has over the last eight years gone through a major change process. Where the plant was a loss making operation and threatened with closure it now is one of the best performing production sites within United Biscuits. The chocolate production was discontinued, major investments were made in the manufacturing infrastructure and a range or cost reduction and performance improvement projects were successfully implemented, in addition to a cultural change program.

The Verkade site is ambitious and is focused on continuous improvement, using the slogan "Simply the best". Annual investments in the range of € 2-4 mio and continuous improvement projects make the site a dynamic working environment with highly qualified and motivated staff.

The relocation from the Dutch Head Quarters towards the site in Zaandam insures an even closer interaction between marketing, sales, development, production and logistics & distribution.

United Biscuits has in international functional structure, resulting in a solid reporting line to the Northern European Supply Chain Director Mr. E. Kamp. The Factory General Manager is a member of the NL Management Team under the chairmanship of the General Manager NL, Mr. B. Merkus.

Because of the Royal status of Verkade, the Factory General Manager is also a Statutory Director of the Koninklijke Verkade N.V. and consequently reporting in his capacity to the independent Non-Executive Supervisory Board.

Koetsier Executive Search has been requested by the Executive Board of Koninklijke Verkade NV to recruit the Factory General Manager Zaandam.

Job Title
Factory General Manager Zaandam

Position within the Company
The Factory General Manager reports to the Northern European Supply Chain Director.

Duties and responsibilities
The Factory General Manager is responsible for all manufacturing related activities at the Zaandam site. The key tasks and responsibilities are:

• Improving the performance of the factory in key areas: good manufacturing practices (GMP), efficiency, quality, waste management, safety & environmental conformance;
• Drive factory performance to achieve excellent customer service levels to all markets;
• Teambuilding and people management in a multi-cultural environment in order to maintain/create high quality and client oriented culture within the factory (36 nationalities) in order to continuously achieve the highest quality and customer service culture within the factory;
• Continuous improvements in a process organise structure with self steering teams;
• Continuously improve the knowledge base and skills of our employees to improve their employability for the future;
• Add value by decreasing manufacturing costs, through investments, increased efficiencies and continuous improvement programmes and improving cash flow;
• Manage a straightforward and respectful relation with social partners (union representatives and Works Council) and maintain respect and understanding for (sometimes unavoidable) business decisions;
• Develop a long term vision regarding the future needs and requirements concerning the production and logistic operations in view of United Biscuits strategy;
• Play a key active role on various United Biscuits initiatives and projects;
• Establish and maintain strong relationships across the United Biscuits network and at various levels;
• Establish and/or maintain positive contacts with local authorities and the Zaandam community together with the General Manager;
• Participate as a key player within the Dutch Management Team and also member of the Koninklijke Verkade Board reporting into the Supervisory Board.

General
The Factory General Manager Zaandam is a member of the Dutch Management Team and the Northern European Operations Team. Reporting to the Factory General Manager are the following departments: Operations, Production Planning and Engineering. Total of 450 FTE's.

The person

Age
35 – 45 years

Education
Likely the right candidate will have a MSc./BSc. or advanced level degree of education and will have worked in an internationally orientated organisation.

Fluency in Dutch and English is a must. Preferably also in German.

Knowledge and Experience
The executive we are looking for gained his/her (international) experience (preferably) in Food, Chemicals, Consumer goods and/or Pharmaceutical production environmental industries.

We are looking for a dynamic, open, down-to-earth, experienced, positive and enthusiastic Plant Manager/Director with more than 10 years of relevant international plant management experience. With knowledge of quality assurance, safety, maintenance, engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, information systems, HR management and Finance.

He/She will be a charismatic leader who can motivate and stimulate his/her team, and is able to establish and accomplish the plant objectives. He/She has a proven track record in implementation of change management and financial management.

He/She will have had exposure to working across all functions and levels of the organisation in a multi-national environment.

Exposure to/knowledge of manufacturing systems, e.g. MRP, S7OP, SMED, Kanban, Kaizin, 5S, Six Sigma would be preferable.

Characteristics
In relation to personal qualities to be fulfilled by the candidate, we are strictly limiting to those qualities which are essential for a successful result:

• Leader(ship)/maturity in a matrix structure
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