CHIEF OF STAFF - OPERATIONS & MANUFACTURING

Job Title: Chief of Staff – Operations & Manufacturing

Industry: Manufacturing

Location: Aba, Abia State (On-site)

Employment: Full-Time

Level: Executive / Senior Leadership

Salary: ₦250,000 –450,000 Net Monthly

CLIENT OVERVIEW

As an established multi-sector manufacturer across consumer and industrial products, we are currently driving two key strategic initiatives: executing a comprehensive turnaround of our flagship plastics plant by reducing waste, elevating equipment effectiveness (OEE), and enforcing operational discipline across two daily shifts; while concurrently launching a new industrial and marine coatings business across the South-East and South-South regions.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Chief of Staff – Operations & Manufacturing will provide strategic, operational, and executive leadership on the ground in Aba, bridging executive direction and factory-floor execution across plastic manufacturing and industrial paint expansion.

This role goes beyond administrative oversight. The successful candidate will serve as the Director's operational proxy on the factory floor, owning the plant's weekly performance reporting, driving waste reduction and OEE targets, managing regulatory approvals, and managing operational heads to turn around performance without requiring daily director-level presence on-site.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Plant Operations & Performance Governance

• Own and implement the Friday Operations Dashboard (tracking Production, Waste %, OEE, Downtime, Sales, and Cash Flow), delivering executive reports to the Director every Friday by 5:00 PM without exception.
• Establish operational feasibility standards, 5S protocols, SOPs, and occupational safety governance across two-shift daily production runs to eliminate unscheduled downtime.
• Identify structural bottlenecks on the factory floor and lead process initiatives to improve cycle times, material usage efficiency, and plant capabilities.

Business Expansion & Market Execution

• Lead regulatory filings, compliance, and product registration pathways with SON, DPR, NAFDAC, and relevant government agencies for industrial and marine coatings.
• Drive initial pilot projects and technical trial runs with enterprise paint buyers across Port Harcourt, Onne, and broader regional industrial hubs.
• Manage joint venture (JV) proposal follow-ups with international partner firms (India/China) and direct the execution of the first three commercial paint production runs.

Capability Building & Operational Optimization

• Work directly with the Operations Manager to drive plant waste down to <3% and elevate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to >75%.
• Establish reusable operational frameworks, quality assurance workflows, and equipment maintenance schedules to ensure continuous production reliability.
• Support workforce restructuring by evaluating staff performance (A/B/C player mapping) in coordination with HR and enforcing accountability across all shifts.

Strategic Alignment & Executive Support

• Chair all production, sales alignment, and cross-functional operational meetings, converting discussions into structured, trackable action items with zero dropped tasks.
• Research market dynamics, competitor actions, and raw material price shifts across the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones to identify cost-saving and expansion opportunities.
• Represent executive leadership in high-level offsite meetings in Port Harcourt, Lagos, and other commercial hubs with suppliers, regulators, and strategic partners.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Hold daily operational check-ins with the Operations Manager and Lead Marketer, maintaining high follow-through rigor and managing cross-functional execution challenges.
• Foster a factory-floor culture centered on discipline, operational precision, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Handle sensitive executive matters, including payroll, financial reporting, and high-level disciplinary actions, with complete discretion and professional poise.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Operational Turnaround & Factory Governance
• Plastic & Chemical Manufacturing Fundamentals (Injection/Blow Molding, Paint Processing)
• Advanced Data Analysis & Dashboarding (Excel/Google Sheets, Asana/Notion)
• OEE Optimization & Waste Reduction Management
• Regulatory Compliance & Agency Licensing (SON, DPR, NAFDAC)
• Workforce Evaluation & Restructuring Execution
• Strategic Sourcing & JV Partner Management
• Cross-Functional Leadership & High-EQ Floor Command

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree or HND in Engineering, Applied Sciences, Business Administration, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 4+ years of hands-on operations or plant management experience within plastic manufacturing, paint processing, FMCG, or packaging environments (non-negotiable).
• Proven track record in reading production logs, analyzing machine utilization, reducing scrap rates, and enforcing strict SOPs on a multi-shift factory floor.
• Strong hands-on experience in building operational dashboards, tracking plant KPIs, and managing complex multi-department action plans.
• Demonstrated executive presentation skills, commanding leadership presence on the factory floor, high emotional intelligence, and the ability to hold tough performance management conversations.
• Must currently reside in Aba, Abia State, or be prepared to relocate immediately.

PERFORMANCE TARGETS (KPIs)

• OEE Benchmarks: Achieve >60% OEE within 90 days and >75% OEE within 6 months.
• Dashboard Discipline: 100% on-time submission of the Friday Operations Dashboard by 5:00 PM (Zero misses).
• Waste Control: Reduce material waste from current baseline to <3% within 6 months.
• Paint Launch Timelines: Complete SON/DPR filings within 60 days; secure initial JV pilot within 90 days.
• Task Completion: Maintain a 100% closure rate on assigned action items across all plant units.