Production Manager - Lubricants Blending & Packaging

About the role

A client of Experts Plus Recruitment Services, based in Tanzania, is hiring a Production Manager for its lubricants business. The role covers end-to-end blending, filling and packaging, and dispatch, delivering safe, compliant, on-spec lubricants at target cost and OTIF. Relocation to Tanzania is required.

Key responsibilities

• Plan daily and weekly blending and filling schedules against demand, and manage tank farm and base oil/additive reconciliation
• Lead EHS activities (PTW/LOTO), 5S, toolbox talks and near-miss reporting, driving a zero-harm culture
• Ensure in-process and finished goods quality gates with the lab, manage NCRs/CAPA and customer complaints
• Improve throughput, yield and OEE while minimizing changeovers and flush losses (SMED mindset)
• Coordinate preventive maintenance, spares and utilities uptime with Engineering
• Enforce SOPs, batch records and line clearance, and train and certify operators
• Control inventories of base oils, additives and packaging, preventing contamination and mix-ups
• Prepare daily and weekly MIS, support ISO 9001/14001/45001 audits and customer audits
• Support new product introduction: treat-rate trials, pilot blends, first-article runs and ramp-up plans

Required profile

• BSc/BEng in Chemical, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering (or equivalent)
• 6-10 years in lubricants blending/packaging or related process manufacturing, including 3+ years leading shifts or lines
• Hands-on experience with blending kettles, tank farm operations, flexitank/IBC offloading and filling/labeling lines
• Working knowledge of API/SAE/ACEA specifications and line changeover and flush best practices
• Previous local experience and willingness to relocate to Tanzania

Required skills

• Production planning, OEE, SMED and root cause analysis (5-Why, Fishbone)
• Strong EHS and quality mindset
• Clear SOPs and documentation, shop-floor leadership
• Excel and ERP (SAP/Odoo) literacy, basic MOC
• Collaboration with QC, Maintenance, SCM and Sales
• Nice to have: start-up/greenfield experience, ISO implementation, English/French/Swahili fluency

What we offer

• Housing, transportation and food
• Visa and air ticket