Operations Manager

Interim Operations Manager – Industrial Packaging

Belgium (Brussels–Leuven area) | Immediate Start | 6-Month Interim Assignment | On-site Role

For one of our international clients, we are seeking an Interim Operations Manager – Industrial Packaging to support the leadership of a manufacturing site during a key phase of operational development.

Our client is a global industrial group operating in the packaging sector, providing innovative solutions to leading companies across the food, consumer goods, and industrial markets. The European organization operates multiple manufacturing sites and combines international standards with strong local operational autonomy.

The assignment is based at a customer-dedicated production site in Belgium, where the Operations Manager will play a key role in ensuring day-to-day operational excellence while supporting the preparation of a major production expansion project.

The Role

Reporting to the Plant Manager, you will support the daily management of production operations, improve performance, and ensure effective coordination between production teams and key support functions.

This is a hands-on operational leadership role requiring strong shop-floor presence, the ability to engage teams, and the capability to drive performance improvements in a structured industrial environment.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Operational Management

• Take ownership of production planning and day-to-day operational execution.
• Monitor and improve key production performance indicators, including safety, quality, efficiency, and productivity.
• Identify operational issues, implement corrective actions, and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective coordination between production, quality, maintenance, HR, and plant leadership.
• Support the Plant Manager in operational decisions and organizational priorities.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, manage, and support shift leaders and team leaders to ensure strong operational performance.
• Create a constructive, performance-oriented team environment based on engagement and accountability.
• Be present on the shop floor, understand operational challenges, and ensure teams take ownership of their responsibilities.
• Coach and develop team leaders to strengthen operational capabilities.
• Identify improvement opportunities and support the development of internal talent.

Industrial Projects

• Support the successful preparation and implementation of a new production line planned for early 2027.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure operational readiness.
• Contribute to project execution while maintaining production performance.

Your Profile

You are an experienced industrial operations leader with a strong track record in manufacturing environments.

You bring:

• 10–15 years of experience in industrial operations, production management, or site leadership roles.
• Proven experience managing production teams in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational KPIs.
• Experience with production planning, performance improvement, and structured problem-solving.
• Experience supporting industrial projects, including production line launches or major process improvements.
• Strong leadership skills with a hands-on, people-oriented management style.
• Experience working in an international and multicultural environment.
• Ability to quickly understand a new operational environment and become effective from day one.

Languages

• Fluent Dutch is mandatory.
• Fluent English is required.
• French is a plus.

A high-impact interim assignment offering the opportunity to stabilize operations, support a major industrial project, and deliver measurable performance improvements within an international manufacturing environment.

Assignment Details

• Location: Belgium (Brussels–Leuven area), on-site
• Duration: 6 months
• Start date: