Manufacturing Plant Manager

Shinagawa Refractories Australasia - Unanderra, Wollongong Lead today. Help shape what comes next.

Wollongong is one of Australia's great manufacturing regions, shaped by steelmaking and heavy industry.

At the centre of that landscape is Port Kembla Steelworks, one of Australia's most significant manufacturing sites. Shinagawa Refractories Australasia is an important part of this industrial supply chain, manufacturing highly technical refractory products essential to steelmaking and other demanding high-temperature processes.

With new leadership, continued investment and a clear focus on developing its manufacturing capability, SRA is seeking a Plant Manager – NSW to lead its established Unanderra operation.

Reporting directly to the CEO and joining the Senior Leadership Team, you will take responsibility for the people, safety, production, quality and performance of the NSW plant.

SRA has strong manufacturing foundations and considerable technical knowledge. We want a leader who can build on that capability while bringing fresh energy, ideas and contemporary manufacturing thinking.

The Opportunity

You will lead and develop the NSW manufacturing team while driving operational performance and improvement across the plant. You will have the opportunity to influence:

- Manufacturing systems, processes and productivity.
- Workforce capability and leadership development.
- Technology, automation and better use of operational information.
- Plant upgrades and future investment.
- The broader direction of SRA manufacturing as part of the Senior Leadership Team.

This is a planned succession appointment,



with the current Plant Manager retiring and an opportunity for an extended handover and transfer of SRA's considerable product, process and manufacturing knowledge. This allows us to look beyond direct refractory or materials-processing experience and focus on finding an outstanding leader of people and manufacturing excellence.

About You

You may already be a Plant Manager, or a solid Manufacturing, Production or Operations Manager ready for broader responsibility. We are looking for someone who:

- Understands manufacturing and knows how to lead people.
- Brings strong production and safety leadership.
- Builds capability and gets the best from people.
- Has a manufacturing excellence and continuous improvement mindset.
- Is curious about better systems, technology, automation and ways of working.
- Can turn ideas into practical improvements.

You do not need refractory industry experience. What matters more is your ability to lead a manufacturing operation, develop people, learn the business and improve performance.

Experience from heavy manufacturing, steel, metals, minerals, industrial processing, construction materials or other complex manufacturing environments could all be relevant.

Why Shinagawa?

SRA combines established Australian manufacturing capability with the technical, research and global strength of Shinagawa Refractories in Japan. For the right manufacturing leader, this is an opportunity to take ownership of an important operation and have a genuine influence on what it becomes next.

360HR Solutions is conducting this Executive Search exclusively on behalf of Shinagawa Refractories Australasia.

Apply through SEEK or contact 360HR Solutions for a confidential discussion.

📌 Manufacturing Plant Manager (Wollongong)
🏢 360HR Solutions
📍 Wollongong