Director Manufacturing Transformation

Our client is an internationally operating industrial company active in manufacturing and selling industrial products across Europe. The organisation is undergoing a transformation of its manufacturing footprint, involving controlled site ramp‑downs as well as the build‑up and scaling of selected locations. The programme linked to this role is one of the company’s most strategically important initiatives.

The Director Manufacturing Transformation (Europe) is responsible for the hands‑on execution of major changes across the European manufacturing footprint. The objective is to drive site closures, restructurings and build‑ups, ensuring disciplined execution, financial impact and a future‑proof production network.

The Director Manufacturing Transformation (Europe) operates in a broad, independent role within the organisation and reports into the senior operations leadership. Initially based in the Netherlands, the role requires a high degree of mobility across Europe over time.

You are actively involved in complex change and closure processes at site level, combining a strong on‑site presence with a clear focus on strategic objectives. The role includes leading restructurings, assessing operational, financial and people‑related impacts, developing business cases, and ensuring a careful transfer of products, processes and knowledge. Depending on business needs, the scope may be extended to support integration or stabilisation initiatives at other sites.

For this position, we are looking for a highly experienced operations professional who is accustomed to taking ownership and pushing forward in complex, often sensitive situations. You have previously led large‑scale change and restructuring programmes and understand what such programmes mean for organisations and people, and you are able to operate with focus, care, and decisiveness.

In addition, you recognise yourself in the following:

• Academic or higher professional (HBO+) level of thinking and working, preferably technical or business/management;
• Demonstrable experience with plant closures, restructurings, and/or major re‑organisations;
• Strong analytical and financial skills, with an eye for business cases and cash impact;
• Politically sensitive, resilient under pressure, and decisive;
• Excellent command of the English language;
• Willing and able to travel extensively and work on‑site in Europe for longer periods.