General Manager (GENMGR)

Purpose of Position

GK Foods is seeking an experienced and strategic General Manager – Manufacturing to lead and govern its manufacturing operations across Jamaica. This executive role is responsible for driving operational excellence, ensuring food safety and regulatory compliance, optimizing costs, and building strong manufacturing leadership to support sustainable business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading and executing the manufacturing strategy in alignment with overall business objectives.
• Driving operational excellence, plant efficiencies, productivity improvements, and cost optimization initiatives across the manufacturing network.
• Managing manufacturing P&L performance, budgets, forecasts, and capital expenditure (CAPEX).
• Overseeing capacity planning, expansion initiatives, automation, digitization, and continuous improvement projects.
• Ensuring compliance with food safety, quality, regulatory, and manufacturing standards, including HACCP, ISO, and GMP requirements.
• Providing strategic leadership and governance to Deputy General Managers and Factory Managers across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Monitoring manufacturing KPIs, operational performance, product quality, and service levels across all factories.
• Supporting innovation, product launches, and alignment with Supply Chain, Commercial, Quality, and Marketing teams.
• Leading industrial relations activities, including union engagement and collective bargaining support in partnership with HR.
• Building a high-performing leadership pipeline through talent development, succession planning, and performance management.
• Managing key relationships with suppliers, regulatory agencies, customers, and other external stakeholders.
• Contributing to strategic planning, investment evaluations, risk management, and governance initiatives across the division.

Required Qualification, Experience, Knowledge

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field
• Minimum of five to seven (5–7) years’ senior management experience, preferably within the manufacturing industry.
• Proven experience managing multiple factories and senior manufacturing leaders
• Strong expertise in operational excellence, food safety, and regulatory compliance
• Experience managing unionized environments
• Strong business, financial, and cost management acumen
• Inspirational leadership style with strong communication, negotiation, and decision‑making skills
• Ability to lead transformation, change management, and cross-functional collaboration initiatives.
• High integrity, accountability, and ability to lead change

GraceKennedy's Competencies