General Manager - Featherstone Manufacturing Site

About the Role

We are seeking a General Manager to lead the Featherstone manufacturing site, one of the UK’s premier corrugated packaging production facilities with an output exceeding 200 million square metres annually. This role involves full accountability for site performance, encompassing safety, quality, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence. The position demands visible and genuine leadership that empowers employees to excel while reinforcing commitments to safety, quality, and customer success.

Responsibilities

• Provide motivational, people-oriented leadership to foster a committed, responsible, and high-achieving culture.
• Promote a world-class health, safety, and environmental ethos ensuring all employees return home safe daily, by leading with safety as the top priority.
• Enhance Featherstone’s performance by driving ongoing improvements in safety, quality, service, and productivity.
• Lead and mentor direct and indirect leadership personnel, reinforcing succession planning and future skill development.
• Ensure exceptional customer service by maintaining excellent operational performance, product quality, and on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery.
• Manage commercial outcomes by balancing customer requirements with operational efficiency and financial objectives.
• Take full responsibility for site results, including budget management, profitability, productivity, and investment planning.
• Identify and implement efficiency improvements, waste reduction, and contribute to sustainability goals.
• Establish strong cooperative relationships across departments including Commercial, Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Support functions to maximize business benefits.
• Create a workplace where colleagues feel valued, heard, empowered, authentic, and proud to contribute to Featherstone.

About You

• Experienced senior manufacturing leader with a solid background in packaging, FMCG, or similarly demanding production sectors.
• Demonstrated success managing large, complex manufacturing operations.
• Exceptional at building engaged, high-performance teams and fostering an inclusive workplace.
• Dedicated to sustaining an outstanding safety culture.
• Proficient in operational leadership with a track record in continuous improvement and Lean Manufacturing.
• Experienced in trade union environments, fostering collaborative relationships with union representatives and officers.
• Commercially savvy with extensive financial management experience related to budgets, profitability, and capital investments.
• Customer-oriented, focused on delivering excellent quality, service, and dependability.
• Collaborative leader adept at cultivating trusted cross-level relationships within an organisation.
• Committed to people development and creating inclusive environments where all individuals can succeed.

Success Indicators

• Development of a motivated, engaged, and responsible workforce.
• Implementation of a rigorous safety culture where safety considerations dominate decision-making.
• Achievement of superior customer satisfaction supported by outstanding quality and reliable on-time deliveries.
• Consistent enhancements in productivity, operational efficiency, and excellence.
• Strong commercial results with sustainable profitability.
• A robust leadership team with clear plans for succession and growth.
• Ongoing recognition of Featherstone as one of the highest-performing manufacturing operations within the DS Smith network.

Why Join Us?

Joining this site offers the chance to shape the future of a flagship UK manufacturing operation. You’ll collaborate with a skilled leadership team and motivated colleagues committed to customer success and sustainable packaging innovation.

Benefits

• Competitive salary package
• Qualifying sick pay scheme
• Pension and life insurance plans
• Share Save scheme
• Income protection
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Employee assistance program
• Access to virtual GP, occupational health support, and free flu vaccination
• Cycle to Work scheme and retail discounts