Gulbahar Tobacco International Fze
Production Manager - Snus Manufacturing & Packaging
Dubai, Dubai•Full-time
About the Job
JOB DESCRIPTION
Position: Production Manager – Snus Manufacturing & Packaging
Job Purpose
The Production Manager – Snus Manufacturing & Packaging will be responsible for the end-to-end management of snus manufacturing and packaging operations, including machinery selection, technical evaluation, installation, commissioning, production ramp-up, and ongoing operational performance. The role will ensure that equipment and production lines achieve the required capacity, efficiency, quality, reliability, and productivity targets while driving continuous improvement.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
1. Machinery Selection, Evaluation & Procurement
- Coordinate the selection of suitable snus manufacturing and packaging machinery based on required capacity, product specifications, and operational requirements.
- Obtain and technically evaluate machinery quotations, technical proposals, and supplier submissions.
- Compare equipment based on capacity, efficiency, automation, reliability, utilities, maintenance requirements, and operating costs.
- Coordinate with management and suppliers for final machinery selection and technical negotiations.
- Coordinate and participate in Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), where applicable.
2. Installation, Integration & Commissioning
- Coordinate machinery delivery, installation, positioning, and integration at the plant.
- Coordinate requirements for electrical power, compressed air, HVAC, utilities, and other plant services.
- Ensure machinery is installed according to manufacturer specifications and approved plant layouts.
- Coordinate mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, automation, and control-system connections.
- Coordinate machinery commissioning and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
- Organize and supervise dry runs, trial runs, and initial production trials.
- Coordinate with machinery suppliers to resolve installation, commissioning, and performance-related issues.
- Ensure machinery achieves agreed capacity, speed, efficiency, reliability, and quality requirements.
3. Production Operations & Performance
- Supervise day-to-day snus manufacturing and packaging operations.
- Ensure production is carried out according to the approved production plan, operating procedures, and required standards.
- Monitor production output against planned targets and take corrective action where required.
- Monitor machine efficiency, OEE, downtime, breakdowns, waste, and production losses.
- Identify production bottlenecks and implement corrective and improvement measures.
- Monitor and optimize manufacturing and packaging processes, including changeovers, machine settings, and operating parameters.
- Monitor raw-material utilization, product yield, packaging-material consumption, and production waste.
- Monitor and improve production productivity, machine utilization, and overall line performance.
4. Maintenance, Quality & Process Improvement
- Coordinate with Maintenance on preventive maintenance, breakdown resolution, and machine reliability.
- Coordinate with Quality to address product-quality, process, and packaging issues.
- Support identification and resolution of recurring equipment and process problems.
- Coordinate with suppliers regarding warranty issues, technical support, spare parts, and machine modifications.
- Ensure availability of critical machine spare parts, components, and consumables.
- Drive initiatives to reduce downtime, waste, production losses, and operating inefficiencies.
5. Procedures, Training & Operational Standards
- Coordinate operator training with machinery suppliers and ensure adequate operator competency.
- Develop and maintain machine operating, cleaning, changeover, and basic troubleshooting procedures with relevant teams.
- Ensure operators follow approved procedures and equipment operating requirements.
- Support the standardization and continuous improvement of manufacturing and packaging processes.
6. Cross-Functional & Supplier Coordination
- Coordinate with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Warehouse, and machinery suppliers to ensure smooth plant operations.
- Maintain effective communication with equipment suppliers throughout installation, commissioning, production ramp-up, warranty, and post-installation support.
- Follow up on outstanding technical issues, supplier commitments, machine modifications, and spare-parts requirements.
- Ensure timely resolution of operational, technical, and equipment-related issues.
7. Reporting & Management Information
- Provide regular management reports covering production output, machine performance, OEE, downtime, breakdowns, waste, quality, and outstanding technical issues.
- Monitor key production and equipment-performance indicators and highlight deviations against agreed targets.
- Provide recommendations and action plans to improve productivity, efficiency, reliability, and production performance.
8. Commercial Production & Continuous Improvement
- Lead the transition from machinery installation and commissioning to stable commercial production.
- Ensure production lines achieve the required capacity, speed, efficiency, quality, and reliability during ramp-up.
- Continuously identify and implement opportunities to improve production productivity, machine utilization, process efficiency, and overall line performance.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to achieve sustainable and reliable manufacturing and packaging operations.
Key Performance Areas
- Production output versus plan
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
- Machine availability, utilization, and reliability
- Downtime and breakdown performance
- Production efficiency and line performance
- Product yield and material utilization
- Packaging-material consumption
- Waste and production losses
- Changeover performance
- Product and packaging quality
- Machinery commissioning and ramp-up performance
- Achievement of stable commercial production
- Continuous improvement and productivity initiatives
Key Interfaces
Internal: Production | Maintenance | Engineering | Quality | Warehouse | Management
External: Machinery Manufacturers | Equipment Suppliers | Technical Service Providers | Contractors
Qualifications & Experience
- Degree/Diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Proven experience in production management, manufacturing, and packaging operations.
- Experience in machinery selection, technical evaluation, installation, commissioning, FAT, SAT, and production ramp-up.
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing and packaging machinery, OEE, production efficiency, downtime management, and continuous improvement.
- Experience coordinating with machinery suppliers and multidisciplinary technical teams.
- Strong problem-solving, technical, analytical, and leadership skills.
- Experience in snus, nicotine/oral-pouch, tobacco, FMCG, or a similar high-speed manufacturing environment will be an advantage.