Department: Manufacturing - ANZ
Location:
Rowville, VIC, AU, 3178
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Job Function: Supply Chain - ANZ
Employment Type: Full time
Lead the next chapter of one of Arnott’s key manufacturing and supply chain operations.
At The Arnott’s Group, our purpose is simple: to create delicious moments. Behind that purpose is a supply chain network that needs strong, commercially sharp, operationally disciplined leaders who know how to get performance moving - safely, sustainably and at pace.
We are looking for an experienced Plant Manager to lead our Rowville facility and its associated supply chain functions. This is a significant leadership role with accountability across supply planning, manufacturing operations, engineering, process improvement, distribution and logistics, with close partnership across Quality, Safety, People & Culture, Finance, Procurement, R&D, Sales, Category and other key commercial teams.
This is not a role for someone who wants to maintain the status quo.
Rowville requires a transformational leader - someone who can bring operational rigour, cultural reset, commercial discipline and visible leadership to a site with real opportunity ahead. You will need to be equally comfortable on the factory floor, in the numbers, in front of senior leaders, and in the hard conversations that come with lifting standards.
The opportunity
As Plant Manager - Rowville, you will lead the end-to-end performance of the site’s supply chain operation, from planning through to delivery of finished goods. You will be the senior escalation point for order fulfilment, quality, safety and logistics, and you will play a key role in improving service, efficiency, compliance, cost, capability and ways of working across the site.
You will lead through your own team and through strong cross-functional partnerships, ensuring Rowville operates with the discipline, accountability and momentum required to deliver for customers, consumers and the business.
This role reports to the Chief Supply Chain Officer and forms part of The Arnott’s Group Supply Chain Leadership Team.
What you’ll lead
You will be accountable for the safety, quality and efficiency of planning, manufacturing and logistics operations for the nutritious snacks business at Rowville. This includes driving performance across internal KPIs, compliance obligations, operational standards, customer service outcomes and continuous improvement priorities.
In practical terms, you will:
Lead the Rowville facility and associated supply chain functions, providing clear direction, performance expectations and leadership to the site supply chain leadership team.
Drive stronger performance across order fulfilment, quality, safety, logistics and service outcomes, including DIFOT performance.
Build a stronger culture of accountability, learning, operational discipline and continuous improvement across the site.
Partner with Safety, Quality, Engineering, Finance, Procurement, Logistics, People & Culture and commercial teams to deliver the broader strategic agenda.
Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities in partnership with supply chain operations teams and Finance.
Improve manufacturing processes, supplier performance, transportation routes, load management and operational effectiveness.
Ensure the site operates in line with statutory requirements, company policies, WHS regulations, food standards, chain of responsibility obligations and quality systems.
Oversee food safety and quality compliance, including standards and certifications such as SQF, HACCP, WQA, Kosher, RSPO and related audit requirements.
Work closely with Quality Assurance to strengthen quality culture within the manufacturing base.
Support the development of site capability, technical training, broader responsibilities and more autonomous, multi-skilled ways of working.
Lead change with clarity, pace and judgement.
What success looks like
You will bring structure, momentum and confidence to the site.
Success in this role will come from improving the core operating rhythm of Rowville: stronger safety leadership, tighter execution, clearer decision-making, improved service outcomes, more reliable performance, better cross-functional alignment, and a site culture where people understand the standards and are supported to meet them.
You will not be expected to do this alone - but you will be expected to lead it.
The right person will know how to bring people with them while still being clear about what needs to change. They will be commercially minded, operationally credible and comfortable moving between strategy and execution without getting lost in either.
About you
You are an experienced supply chain, manufacturing or operations leader with strong exposure to complex operational environments. Ideally, you have worked in food manufacturing, FMCG, consumer goods or another regulated, fast-paced environment where safety, quality, service, cost and people leadership all matter at once.
You bring deep understanding across supply chain operations, logistics, engineering, quality and food safety. You know how to lead through complexity, make sound decisions with imperfect information, and create the conditions for teams to perform.
You are likely to bring:
Strong technical knowledge across supply chain operations, logistics, engineering, quality and food safety.
Experience dealing with regulatory matters and operating within robust compliance environments.
A degree qualification in Science, Engineering, Food Technology or a related discipline.
Strong business acumen and the ability to connect operational decisions to commercial outcomes.
Excellent communication and influencing skills, particularly in advocating for change and influencing internal stakeholders.
Strong numeracy, data interpretation and problem-solving capability.
The judgement to balance detail with lateral thinking, pragmatism and pace.
The confidence to own outcomes, accept accountability and make sound decisions based on experience and good judgement.
A practical, visible leadership style that works across all levels of the organisation.
Most importantly, you will be the kind of leader who sets the tone.
You will know when to listen, when to challenge, when to simplify, and when to make the call. You will have the credibility to lead operational experts, the commercial maturity to engage senior stakeholders, and the human judgement to build trust through a period of change.
Why join The Arnott’s Group?
The Arnott’s Group is one of the most recognised names in food across Australia and the region. Our brands sit in pantries, lunchboxes, workplaces and shared moments across generations - but behind the familiarity is a business continuing to evolve, modernise and grow.
This is an opportunity to lead meaningful change in a business with scale, heritage and ambition.
At Rowville, you will have the chance to shape the future of a key site, lift operational performance, strengthen culture, and leave a visible legacy. For the right leader, this is exactly the kind of role that reminds you why you chose operations and supply chain in the first place - because when it works, the impact is immediate, tangible and deeply commercial.
You will join a business that values high performance with integrity, quality, diversity and sustainability, balanced decision-making, and delighting consumers every time.
The leadership we’re looking for
We are looking for someone who can lead from the front, deliver results, develop others, lead change, build organisational capability and contribute beyond their own functional area.
This role will suit someone who has already led in complex operational environments and is ready for a role with real scope, visibility and impact.
If you are looking for a comfortable maintenance role, this probably is not it.
If you are looking for a leadership opportunity where the work is real, the expectations are high, and the impact will matter - we should talk.
Apply now
If you are a commercially minded supply chain or operations leader who knows how to lift performance, build trust, lead change and create stronger operational outcomes, we would love to hear from you.
Apply now to lead the next chapter of Rowville with The Arnott’s Group.
