European Operations Leader

About Sabert Europe Sabert Europe manufactures and supplies innovative food packaging across plastics, paperboard and moulded fibre, with manufacturing operations in Belgium and the United Kingdom and supporting operations in Poland. Following acquisitions and continued investment, the business is developing an integrated European operating model to support the next phase of profitable growth. Role purpose Lead European manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, procurement, forecasting & planning, logistics, warehousing, Client Care and Operational Excellence. Build the organisation, leadership capability and operating processes needed to improve customer service, productivity, cost, working capital and operational resilience. Combine clear European functional ownership with effective local execution and alignment to global priorities. Core deliverables Measures and timings will be agreed with the European Business Leader and Global Operations leadership.
• Integrate European Operations: Establish clear accountabilities, common processes and performance measures across sites and functions, while retaining necessary local operational support.
• Improve service and working capital: Deliver sustained improvements in supply reliability, OTIF, fill rate and inventory performance through effective S&OP and coordinated execution.
• Improve productivity and cost: Establish European Operational Excellence capability and deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, quality, waste and operating cost.
• Build leadership and succession: Develop the organisation, strengthen site and functional leadership, and establish credible development and succession plans for critical roles.
• Deliver engineering and capital priorities: Execute a prioritised programme that improves equipment reliability, capacity, automation and operational resilience while supporting new product introduction. Scope and accountabilities The role has European functional responsibility for:
• Manufacturing operations in Belgium, the United Kingdom and Poland.
• Engineering, maintenance strategy and capital projects.
• Supply chain, demand and supply planning, production scheduling and S&OP.
• All procurement activity and supplier performance.
• Logistics, warehousing and inventory management, including supporting operations in Poland.
• Operational Client Care and order fulfilment.
• Operational Excellence and continuous improvement. Lead through site and functional leaders, with reporting lines and decision rights defined in the agreed European structure. Work closely with the European Finance Leader and UK operational leadership to ensure that European priorities translate into clear local accountability. Partner with Commercial leadership on customer requirements, growth and the development of Internal Sales, with clear ownership of commercial activity and operational service delivery. Responsibilities European strategy and integration
• Develop and execute the European Operations strategy in support of business growth and financial objectives.
• Contribute as an ELT member to European strategy, investment decisions and organisational development.
• Establish common operating standards, governance and KPIs aligned with global requirements.
• Lead network optimisation, capacity planning and operational integration of acquisitions.
• Build cooperation across countries, sites and functions to advance One Sabert. Leadership and organisation development
• Shape an effective organisation with clear responsibilities, decision rights and appropriate spans of control.
• Recruit, develop and mentor site and functional leaders.
• Establish measurable business and development objectives, supported by regular performance discussions.
• Build succession plans and strengthen workforce skills and capability.
• Lead organisational change with clear communication, engagement and accountability.
• Maintain a visible presence across European operations. Safety quality and compliance
• Maintain operational accountability for safe working practices and compliance with applicable requirements.
• Partner with Quality, Compliance and Sustainability leaders to embed standards across operations.
• Ensure operational risks, corrective actions and business continuity plans are actively managed. Supply chain and customer service
• Own European operational service performance, inventory and associated working capital outcomes.
• Lead S&OP in partnership with Commercial and Finance, translating demand into executable supply plans.
• Integrate manufacturing, procurement, planning, logistics, warehousing and Client Care.
• Improve forecasting, stock availability and inventory deployment while reducing slow moving and obsolete stock.
• Ensure Client Care has reliable supply information, clear escalation routes and appropriate authority to resolve service issues.
• Strengthen supplier performance, sourcing resilience and business continuity. Manufacturing and Operational Excellence
• Improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost performance across manufacturing operations.
• Establish clear European OpEx ownership and connect improvement programmes to the global Operations team.
• Develop practical improvement capability within site teams and ensure benefits are measured and sustained.
• Strengthen local manufacturing leadership and operating discipline.
• Improve OEE, labour productivity, material utilisation and waste performance. Engineering and investment
• Lead the European engineering, asset care and capital investment strategy.
• Develop engineering capability and succession for critical technical roles.
• Coordinate European engineering resources while maintaining effective local maintenance and technical support.
• Prioritise and oversee capital projects, automation and capacity improvements.
• Ensure projects deliver agreed operational and financial benefits.
• Partner with Marketing and NPD on industrialisation and successful product launches. Financial management
• Develop and manage European Operations budgets in partnership with Finance.
• Deliver agreed cost, productivity and working capital improvements.
• Build investment proposals with clear business cases and track returns.
• Improve operational costing, reporting and forecasting.
• Balance service, capacity, inventory and cost decisions to support profitable growth. Experience and capabilities
• Proven leadership of complex, multi-site manufacturing and end-to-end supply chain operations.
• Demonstrated delivery of measurable and sustained improvements in service, productivity, cost and working capital.
• Strong experience in S&OP, procurement, planning, logistics and inventory management.
• Evidence of building organisations, developing leaders and strengthening succession.
• Experience leading Operational Excellence and organisational transformation.
• Strong engineering and capital investment understanding.
• Commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to assess operational trade-offs.
• Ability to lead effectively across countries, cultures and a matrix organisation.
• Decisiveness, personal accountability and a practical delivery focus.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Packaging or related manufacturing experience desirable. Education languages and mobility
• Degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Relevant postgraduate qualifications desirable.
• Fluent English essential; French highly desirable. Other European languages beneficial.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across European sites and occasionally internationally.