General Manager, Technical / Operations

Role Overview

• The General Manager, Technical/Operations is responsible for the end‑to‑end leadership of all sugar refining and technical functions at DSR Apapa.
• The role has full accountability for Production, Engineering & Maintenance, Utilities, and Quality Control, ensuring optimal refinery performance across the entire sugar processing value chain.
• The position oversees all core refining processes including raw sugar handling, affination, melt clarification, filtration, evaporation, crystallization, centrifugation, drying, packaging, and storage, ensuring high yield recovery, product quality, operational efficiency, and cost optimization.

Job Summary

• The General Manager provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure efficient conversion of raw sugar into high-quality refined sugar in line with ICUMSA and regulatory standards.
• The role is accountable for plant-wide performance, including throughput, recovery, energy efficiency, equipment reliability, and food safety compliance.
• It also drives process optimization, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring sustainable and cost-effective refinery operations aligned with corporate objectives.

Key Duties and Responsibilities
Sugar Refining Operations:

• Lead and optimize all stages of sugar refining:
  affination, clarification, filtration, evaporation, crystallization, centrifugation, drying, and packaging.
• Ensure efficient raw sugar melt and purification processes to achieve required colour and quality specifications.
• Monitor and improve sucrose recovery, massecuite performance, and sugar losses across the refining cycle.

Production & Yield Optimization:

• Drive initiatives to maximize refinery throughput and recovery rates while minimizing process losses (molasses, filter cake, moisture).
• Establish and monitor mass balance systems and process KPIs.
• Optimize steam consumption, energy use, and cycle times across operations.

Engineering, Utilities & Maintenance:

• Oversee Engineering and Maintenance functions, ensuring high equipment uptime and reliability.
• Ensure optimal performance of critical refinery assets such as evaporators, vacuum pans, centrifugals, dryers, and packaging systems.
• Manage utilities including boilers, turbines, compressed air, and water treatment systems.
• Drive Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and predictive maintenance strategies.

Quality Control & Food Safety:

• Provide oversight for Quality Control laboratories and processes.
• Ensure compliance with ICUMSA standards, food safety systems (HACCP, ISO 22000), and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain product specifications including colour, grain size, moisture, and purity.

Cost Control & Resource Management:

• Optimize the use of energy, chemicals (lime, phosphoric acid), water, and raw materials.
• Drive reduction in cost per tonne of refined sugar.
• Manage operational budgets with strong fiscal discipline.

Technology & Process Improvement:

• Champion automation (DCS/SCADA), digital monitoring, and process control systems.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma) to enhance productivity and reduce waste.
• Drive refinery modernization and capacity expansion projects.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management:

• Provide integrated leadership across Production, Engineering, Utilities, and Quality Control teams.
• Develop a strong technical leadership pipeline and succession plans.
• Manage relationships with regulators, vendors, consultants, and host communities.

HSSE & Sustainability:

• Ensure strict adherence to Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) standards.
• Drive initiatives in energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and sustainable operations.

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, or related discipline.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 20 years’ experience in sugar refining or comparable continuous process industries.
• At least 5 years in a senior management or executive role overseeing plant operations.

Skills and Behaviours:

• Strong expertise in sugar refining processes and process engineering.
• Proven ability in plant optimization, yield improvement, and cost control.
• Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong analytical mindset with focus on efficiency and performance improvement.
• High adaptability to technology and automation systems.

Professional Qualifications:

• PMP or equivalent certification (preferred).
• Membership of COREN, NSE, or relevant professional bodies is an advantage.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:

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