Plant Manager

About us: iconic brand, tiny company

Polaroid was founded in 1937 by one of the most seminal innovators of the 20th century, Edwin Land. His motto was, “don't undertake a project unless it is manifestly important and nearly impossible.” In 2008, Polaroid shut its last factory, but a group of diehard fans came together as The Impossible Project to save instant film. Over 10 years later that startup acquired what was left of Polaroid and today we’re again a small group of people passionate about empowering creators to change the world in the name of Polaroid.

Role Summary/Purpose

We are seeking an experienced Plant Manager to take on our original Polaroid film manufacturing factory and provide effective leadership and strategic oversight to ensure its efficient and effective operations. Your role will be pivotal in driving continuous improvement, fostering innovation, and delivering operational excellence. You will be experienced in running an established manufacturing plant while championing modern manufacturing practices with a strong focus on regulatory compliance, safety, and business growth objectives.

In this position, you will lead by example, cultivating a collaborative and inclusive environment that motivates employees across all levels and backgrounds. Your ability to engage the workforce, collaborate with the local Works Council and promote a culture of accountability will be key to achieving plant-wide goals. You will be responsible for integrating processes that align with the broader business strategy, managing complex operational challenges, and facilitating interplant collaboration to optimise overall performance.

This role offers an opportunity to make a significant impact by embracing modern manufacturing techniques, streamlining production processes, and building a progressive, high-performance culture within the plant.

Reports to: SVP Film Manufacturing

About you:

• Strong judgment and common sense – takes a pragmatic approach
• Driven – brings a sense of energy and drive
• Open – has a direct and clear communication style, straight, people know where they stand
• Human – connects easily with people from the shop floor to executive level and recognises and celebrates achievements of others
• Curious – constantly looks for new ways to improve impact, interested in the business and its people

Essential Responsibilities

Strategy and Direction

• Translate the business goals and objectives of the 5-year strategy into concrete action plans for the plant
• Execute a growth strategy for film that secures current global customer demands and provides opportunity for new customer development and new channels of business development
• Foster cooperation with other manufacturing facilities/entities/teams to achieve business goals and objectives with a company first mindset
• Provide strong and visionary leadership to the site team, fostering a culture of collaboration, engagement, accountability, and continuous improvement

Operational Management

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Enschede site, ensuring safety, efficiency, quality, and compliance with all relevant regulations and standards. Implement best practices for manufacturing, quality control, and supply chain management
• Lead efforts to develop and implement plans to meet customer’s requirements for film, improve and guard quality, lower cost and ensure timely delivery
• Ensure that resources are allocated for swift execution of operational plans and production schedule
• Ensure that equipment and materials are available to execute operational plans and production schedule
• Manage the facility within operating budget
• Control and improve productivity by initiating and executing process, product and material costs reduction initiatives
• Set goals and objectives for manufacturing management metrics, such as production and inventory control, productivity, quality systems, cost systems and procedures
• Actively lead/oversee the day-to-day operations at the site, including all aspects from the receipt of raw materials through the on-time delivery of finished product
• Ensure effective leadership of the plant of about 115 employees, providing clearly defined roles and performance objectives, that align with achievement of the strategic plan
• Coach and further develop team and individual team members
• Work in partnership with the HR Director to ensure succession plan in place for critical roles
• Lead the weekly Plant Management Team meetings
• In partnership with the local HR Director leads the local Works Council meetings

Safety, Environment and Integrity

• Create a working environment that maximises safety for employees
• Take initiatives to promote, communicate and monitor integrity values
• Take appropriate actions to meet safety and environmental legislation, requirements and goals
• Ensure full regulatory compliance at all times

Qualifications

• Fluent in Dutch and strong working English (minimum C1 English level)
• Significant experience (8-10 years +) managing a substantial and complex manufacturing operation either as plant manager or as operations manager within a plant management organisation
  • Includes managing and motivating the workforce, the day-to-day operation, expenses versus budget and the capital spending versus budget
  • Includes responsibility for engineering, product assembly and quality, yield and productivity, inventory and safety
• Experience with complex chemically based products or hazardous chemicals is desirable but not necessary