General Manager - North America

Zotefoams plc is a world leader in cellular material technology, with facilities in Croydon, UK; Kentucky and Oklahoma, USA; Brzeg, Poland; and Jiangsu Province, China (T-FIT).

We produce lightweight foams for a wide range of markets including sports and leisure, aviation, automotive, and healthcare. Zotefoams also owns and licenses patented technology and supplies advanced insulation systems.

The Company is on a strong growth trajectory, with significant revenue and profitability increases in recent years and ambitious plans for the future.

About the Role:

The General Manager, North America provides strategic and operational leadership across multiple manufacturing sites in the region. Reporting to the Managing Director NA & EMEA and the Global Supply Chain Director, this role has full accountability for regional operational performance and P&L delivery.

You will lead safety, quality, service, productivity and cost performance across all sites, while building a high performance culture aligned to Zotefoams’ global strategy. This is a highly influential leadership role, focused on driving operational excellence, continuous improvement, and long term capability across the North American footprint.

Role Responsibilities:

• Set and reinforce a culture of zero harm, regulatory compliance and operational discipline
• Develop and execute a regional operations strategy aligned to corporate objectives and global capacity plans
• Own full P&L accountability across North American manufacturing operations
• Deliver world class performance across safety, quality, OEE, cost, service and delivery
• Ensure consistent operating systems, standards and best practices across all sites
• Oversee production planning, scheduling and resource allocation aligned to global S&OP
• Improve asset reliability through robust maintenance and reliability strategies
• Partner with Quality leaders to maintain audit readiness and drive continuous improvement
• Lead Lean, Six Sigma and other continuous improvement initiatives across the region
• Drive automation, digitisation and modern manufacturing programmes
• Identify and deliver cost reduction and efficiency improvement initiatives
• Lead, coach and develop site leadership teams
• Build strong talent pipelines and succession plans across the region
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement and high performance
• Collaborate closely with Global Supply Chain, Engineering, Procurement, Finance and Commercial teams
• Support new product introductions, technology transfers and capital projects
• Own regional operations budgets including labour, overheads, materials efficiency and capex
• Deliver accurate reporting, forecasting and performance metrics

What you'll need:

• Extensive experience in manufacturing or operations leadership, including multi site responsibility
• Strong track record of delivering operational excellence in fast paced or regulated environments
• Deep understanding of Lean manufacturing, CI methodologies and modern manufacturing practices
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing large budgets and P&L accountability
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills
• Experience working within complex or matrix organisations
• Degree in Engineering, Operations or a related field preferred

What were looking for?

• A decisive, visible leader who sets high standards and leads from the front
• Strong strategic thinker with the ability to execute at pace
• Commercially astute with a relentless focus on performance and results
• Comfortable driving change, transformation and continuous improvement
• People focused leader who builds capability and develops talent
• Confident operating at senior leadership level in a global business

Why Join Us?

At Zotefoams, we believe in fostering a supportive and innovative environment where everybody can thrive. By joining us, you will be part of a dynamic team that values collaboration, continuous improvement, and opportunities for professional growth and development.

Our Values

Courage - The courage to take bold action to ensure that we succeed in tackling our challenges and opportunities.

Impact – Dedicated to making a significant and positive impact in everything we do.

Respect - Cultivate a respectful and inclusive environment where everyone is valued and collaboration is encouraged.

Zotefoams is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees