Plant Manager (maltings)

In this exciting role, the Plant Manager will oversee the traditional malting cycle but will also be responsible for modernising operational processes—transitioning toward automated production controls and digital stock management systems to improve yield, consistency, and traceability. The successful candidate will hold ultimate accountability for building a high performing team, quality, site safety, maintenance, and rigorous audit compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

Change Management & Systems Implementation:

• Stock Management Transformation: Lead the selection and implementation of a modern Stock Management System to replace manual tracking, ensuring real-time visibility of barley intake, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished malt.
• Production Automation: Identify opportunities to introduce automated steeping, germination, and kilning controls; manage the rollout of these technologies to reduce manual intervention and human error.
• Automated Planning: Move the site toward Automated Production Planning, aligning barley steeping schedules with customer demand and silo capacity to optimise throughput.

Maintenance, Utilities & ESG:

• Preventative Maintenance (PPM): Set up and manage maintenance routines to protect high-value assets and ensure the reliability of new automated systems.
• Supplier & Contractor Management: Act as the primary point of contact for automation vendors, maltings engineers, and grain suppliers; manage their performance and site conduct.
• Resource and Cost Optimisation: Drive efficiency and cost reduction programs through automation, optimising utility usage (water/gas/electricity) and implementing waste reduction protocols.

Audit, Quality & Governance:

• Site & Industry Audits: Responsible for all audit requirements at our site by our customers, suppliers, and the industry (e.g. AUKM, FEMAS). Ensure the site is “audit-ready” at all times and provide technical support to customer queries.
• Third-Party Auditing & Relationships: Conduct routine audits of our third-party suppliers to ensure compliance with our quality and safety standards and represent our business on the MAGB technical committee.
• Quality & Lab Control: Oversee the on-site laboratory to ensure all malt meets strict UK specifications. Maintain high hygiene and SOP governance that reflects updated automated workflows.
Health & Safety (H&S)
• Site Accountability: Responsible for all Health and Safety requirements on our site.
• Compliance Collaboration: Work closely with our Health & Safety Compliance Officer to implement protocols, risk assessments, and ensure total regulatory compliance.

Operational Leadership & Performance:

• Barley Intake & Storage: Manage the end-to-end process, ensuring moisture/protein segregation and maintaining grain viability through rigorous storage controls.
• Process Science: Apply a deep understanding of the basics of germination and malting capability to improve current process controls & product quality.
• KPI & Performance Management: Establish clear KPI dashboards (e.g., OEE, extract yield, energy per tonne) and implement formal performance management routines and skills development for the team.

Experience & Skills:
• Industry Tenure: 5 years of Maltings managerial experience within a UK Malting environment.
• Systems Proficiency: Proven track record of implementing ERP/Stock systems or PLC-based automation.
• Leadership Style: A change-maker mindset—capable of bringing a small team along on the journey toward modernised processes.

Qualifications:
• Essential: Experience in Quality Management, Laboratory controls, and H&S leadership.
• Highly Desirable: A Malting Diploma (MAGB); Project Management experience is a plus.

Applications from candidates already eligible to work in the UK only please.

For more information, please contact Julie Carling at Carling Recruitment
julie.carling@carlingrecruitment.com
Tel +44 (0)1483893100.