Manufacturing Operations Manager

Would you like to boost your career in the world of chocolate?

Our new opportunity could be just what you are looking for !

We are " Manufacture Belge de Chocolats (MBC )" and we develop tasty, innovative & high-quality chocolates in the heart of Brussels.

We are proud to produce for the Godiva brand, but we are also expanding into the Private Label market.

Do you want to join a human-sized company with an international outlook and help spread our excellent chocolates around the world?

Do not look any further!

Your future role

In this role, you will lead and develop all manufacturing operations, production, and engineering activities across the site, driving operational excellence, technical reliability, and sustainable business performance. You will play a key role in ensuring efficient, safe, and future-ready production processes through strong leadership in preventive maintenance, capital investment projects, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

As a member of the Management Team, you will contribute to the site's operational strategy while maintaining a strong presence on the shop floor, fostering collaboration, engagement, and accountability across teams. By combining hands-on operational leadership with strategic decision-making, you will help create a high-performing manufacturing environment that delivers the highest standards of quality, food safety, and workplace safety, while supporting the company's long-term growth and financial objectives.

In this role, you will be assigned the following tasks:

Plant Operations Management :

• You will lead the day-to-day operations of the manufacturing site, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production performance.
• You will drive operational excellence by improving productivity, optimizing processes, and enhancing overall equipment effectiveness.
• You will maximize the effective use of people, equipment, and resources to deliver reliable and cost-efficient operations.
• You will ensure the highest standards of quality, food safety, health, safety, and environmental compliance.
• You will foster strong cross-functional collaboration to achieve operational targets and support business growth.

Engineering & Asset Management :

• You will lead the engineering and maintenance functions to ensure optimal equipment reliability and plant performance.
• You will develop and execute preventive and predictive maintenance strategies that minimize downtime and improve asset efficiency.
• You will oversee capital investment projects, technical upgrades, and infrastructure improvements that support future growth.
• You will drive innovation and process enhancements in collaboration with technical and R&D teams.
• You will promote a strong safety culture while ensuring compliance with all engineering and regulatory requirements.

Leadership & Team Management :

• You will provide inspiring leadership and clear direction to create a high-performing and engaged manufacturing organization.
• You will develop talent, strengthen leadership capabilities, and build succession plans to ensure long-term organizational success.
• You will drive a culture of accountability, performance, and continuous development across all levels of the plant.
• You will act as a key member of the Management Team, providing strategic insights and contributing to business decision-making.

The profile we are looking for:

Experience & Background:

• You are graduated in Engineering, Economics, or a related field, or bring equivalent professional experience.
• You have extensive experience (15 years) in manufacturing operations within a complex industrial environment, ideally in the food, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated industries.
• You have a proven track record in operational excellence, continuous improvement, change management, and capital project delivery.
• You have significant experience leading both blue-collar and white-collar teams and building high-performing organizations.
• You are fluent in French and English; Dutch is considered a strong asset.

Technical Expertise:

• You have a strong understanding of manufacturing operations, engineering, maintenance, quality, safety, and supply chain processes.
• You have hands-on experience with Lean, Six Sigma, performance management systems, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• You have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into operational improvements and business results.
• You have experience working with ERP systems and operational performance tools in a manufacturing environment.
• You have the ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships, including employee representatives, unions, regulatory bodies, and external partners.

Personal Skills:

• You are a visible and inspiring leader with a strong presence on the shop floor and the ability to engage teams at all levels of the organization.
• You are a strategic thinker who can balance long-term priorities with day-to-day operational demands.
• You are an excellent communicator with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build trust across functions and stakeholders.
• You are proactive, resilient, and comfortable leading teams through change in a fast-paced environment.
• You are committed to fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, safety, and employee engagement.

What we offer:

• A formative experience: we are a young company, and you will be quickly involved in many topics
• A pleasant work environment
• A well-positioned salary package (gross monthly salary, group and hospitalization insurance, luncheon vouchers, eco-cheque, company car or reimbursement of public transport costs, etc.)
• 32 days holiday per year (20 statutory and 12 RTT)
• Secured bicycle parking
• Unlimited chocolate consumption on site (offices)